Spalding Honors Kobe Bryant's Illustrious Career With Newest 'Hall of Fame' Basketball

Hoops brand Spalding is finishing off the year strong with the release of its “Hall of Fame” basketball — the third installment designed to encapsulate the illustrious career of the late Kobe Bryant. This launch follows that of the “Silver” and “Kobe Marbled Snake” variations that both launched earlier in 2020.

This particular rendition is a fitting homage to the Black Mamba and his laundry list of NBA accolades. Throughout his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant was able to realize five championships, 18 All-Star Game appearances, a duo of NBA Finals MVPs, one regular season MVP, a Slam Dunk title and many more, all of which very few players in the league can or will accomplish during their professional tenure.

Design-wise, the specially-crafted basketball dons a regal two-toned motif. Its aesthetic is split between two halves, the front side adorned with golden skins, Spalding branding and a picture of Kobe’s confetti-clad moment after beating the Boston Celtics in 2010 NBA Finals. On the flip side, a black coating serves as the backdrop for its oversized gilded snake graphic, in addition to the Laker legend’s namesake layered on top. For the top and bottom’s decor, Hall of Fame-inspired graphics alternate between the Naismith logo up above and a “Class of 2020” hit down below.

Additionally, each unit will arrive housed in a square translucent case that prints out notations pertaining to his aforementioned career achievements. The limited-edition product will be limited to 2408 pieces worldwide — a nod to both of his jersey numbers — and will drop on December 21 via the Spalding app.

For more basketball news, Michael B. Jordan is launching his own NCAA tournament for HBCU programs in 2021.