University of Kentucky Selected for Inaugural Mamba Program

In honor of the relationship between the late Kobe Bryant and the University of Kentucky‘s coach John Calipari, as well as a reflection of the talent at the University, Vanessa Bryant has hand selected the school as to launch the inaugural Mamba Program — in partnership with Nike.

As a result of the partnership and program, players will wear Mamba-branded apparel and sneakers, including a recently unveiled Kobe 11 featuring UK branding on the insole and the Mamba logo on the tongue. The gear will be worn through the 2023/24 basketball season.

While details have not been shared to any great length, the partnership which has been over a year in the making, could potentially bring with it Mamba-branded jerseys in addition to the 11s.

Prior to the official partnership, the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, a charitable foundation conceived in memory of Kobe and his daughter Gianna “GiGi” Bryant, presented the team with Mambacita Kobe 4s during Kentucky’s venture to Toronto’s GLOBL JAM. Coach Calipari also became the recipient of a personal gesture from the Bryant family, receiving a pair of Mambacitas, a Gigi Bryant jersey and Kobe’s book, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play.

I just received the most incredible gift from Vanessa and Natalia Bryant.

Happy 17th birthday, Gigi!!

Thinking today of Gigi and all of the lives she touched and continues to touch!!#PlayGigisWay pic.twitter.com/mruCZIFaop

— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) May 1, 2023

Kentucky’s deep connection with the Bryant legacy was further exemplified when the state hosted the Mamba Skills Academy last year, an initiative offering free basketball training to underprivileged children. Kobe’s eldest daughter, Natalia Bryant, along with the foundation, was part of the program.

Touching on the inaugural Mamba Program, Kat Conlon, the executive director of the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, shared “This is the first partnership with any university,” adding “Coach Calipari and Kobe Bryant had a very special relationship, so anything we can do with the foundation that continues to tell the stories of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, we are all game for it with the foundation.”

In other sports news, the Philadelphia 76ers have ended trade talks for James Harden.