Vanessa Bryant and Kobe Bryant’s Estate cut off their deal with Nike

Vanessa Bryant on Monday confirmed that her late husband Kobe Bryant’s five-year post-retirement endorsement extension with Nike has expired on April 13. She and his estate both have decided not to renew this collaboration.

In her Instagram story, she posted a statement explaining that although the endorsement had ended, she would “continue to fight” to allow fans to wear her Kobe’s products.

“Kobe’s Nike contract expired on 4/13/21. Kobe and Nike have made some of the most beautiful basketball shoes of all time, worn and adored by fans and athletes in all sports across the globe,” Vanessa wrote. “It seems fitting that more NBA players wear my husband’s product than any other signature shoe. My hope will always be to allow Kobe’s fans to get and wear his products. I will continue to fight for that.”

“Kobe’s products sell out in seconds. That says everything,” she added. “I was hoping to forge a lifelong partnership with Nike that reflects my husband’s legacy. We will always do everything we can to honor Kobe and Gigi’s legacies. That will never change.”

Kobe became a part of Nike as its brand representative in the year 2003. He signed an endorsement extension in April 2016. The basketball legend left for the heavenly abode in 2020 in a helicopter crash. He along with his 13-year-old daughter  Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, and seven others died in the mishappening.

In a statement to ESPN, Nike called Kobe an “important part of Nike’s deep connection to consumers.” They added: “He pushed us and made everyone around him better. Though our contractual relationship has ended, he remains a deeply loved member of the Nike family.”