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A day after Kobe Bryant tragically passed away from a helicopter accident on Sunday afternoon many fans noticed that Kobe-related merchandise was suddenly missing from Nike’s website.
https://twitter.com/snkr_twitr/status/1221929257837809664
ESPN’s Nick De Paula confirmed today that Nike pulled all Kobe gear as the company re-evaluates how to to proceed with selling Kobe merchandise in the future.
Nike has pulled all Kobe products from its webstore — a Lakers logo gift card is available as a related item.
Employees at the Beaverton, OR campus have been gathering around a 35-foot lakeside poster of Bryant all throughout the day to pay their respects and comfort eachother. pic.twitter.com/LLM0C4O38C
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) January 27, 2020
Via ESPN
In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing, Nike has decided to pull all Kobe-related items from its Nike.com webstore, company sources have confirmed to ESPN. For now, searches for his products provide one result — a purple and yellow Nike gift card bearing the Los Angeles Lakers logo.
The company is re-evaluating its ongoing strategy for releasing Bryant’s beloved signature shoe series, and in the interim, would prefer to limit resellers stockpiling an inventory of existing products, only to sell them on the secondary market at an elevated price.
According to sneaker reporter Jacques Slade, Kobe’s “Championship” Protro sneakers will still be released in early February.
Update: According to Darren Rovell, Kobe’s merchandise has not been pulled but has completely sold out.
Told that Nike has not intentionally pulled any Kobe product off its website. Kobe product has actually sold out.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 28, 2020