Fortunately, Kobe decided to still do the interview.

ESPN’s Marc J. Spears has been covering the NBA for years and had known the late legend Kobe Bryant quite well in the process. He also knew Kobe’s history with Adidas, but he never really knew that “Black Mamba” took it as some kind of disrespect when reporters show up in front of him with an Adidas outfit until he finally did…firsthand.

 Spears wrote on an piece in 2020.

Kob was just sending a message

If you think Spears got caught off guard and rushed to change his wardrobe just as  told him so, you’re wrong. Of course, both of them knew it would’ve been borderline humiliating. Spears thought Bryant was being serious, though. Nevertheless, Spears opted to just have a witty back-and-forth with the then-Lakers superstar and was eventually rewarded with an interview in the end.

he revealed.

Someone was happy with the Kobe-Adidas split

Bryant was one of Adidas’ primary commodities from his rookie year in 1996 to 2002. The relationship soured after six years, but Adidas found a fallback in another Kobe-like player at the time –.

Some look at the Bryant-Adidas breakup as a sad story, but for T-Mac, it was the complete opposite. In fact, even though Kobe is no longer here with us today, to part ways with Adidas.

 McGrady said.