Kobe Bryant Birthday: NBA Legend Would Have Been 45 Today; Vanessa Bryant Shares Emotional Message

It is supposed to be Kobe Bryant's 45th birthday on August 23, and his widow, Vanessa Bryant, has shared a touching message in a collaboration with Nike, which has had a history with the "Black Mamba" over a decade's worth of show deals.

Vanessa Bryant took to Instagram on her late husband's birthday and shared several heartwarming images of her with the late Los Angeles Lakers legend.

"Happy birthday, baby. I love you always & forever," she wrote in the caption with a red heart emoji and the hashtag #82378.

She and Kobe married in 2001 and had four daughters together, including 20-year-old Natalia, 6-year-old Bianka, and 4-year-old Capri. Their second daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, also died in the helicopter crash that killed her father. She was 13.

The widow and former dancer also teamed up with Nike, which paid homage to the late basketball superstar with the Kobe 8 Protro Halo. The show features a triple-white color pattern that Vanessa Bryant says is paying tribute to her late husband.

According to The Today Show, Nike will be releasing the shoe annually, with the release date falling on Kobe Bryant's birthday. This year's edition is now available across Nike stores.

LeBron James Also Pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant

It was not just Vanessa Bryant who paid tribute to Kobe on his 45th birthday, but also former rival and current Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.

The NBA star posted a photo of himself and the late basketball legend shaking hands and sharing an exchange on social media. It had the caption of the infinity emoji as well as a snake emoji, the latter denoting Bryant's moniker as the "Black Mamba."

According to Sports Illustrated, the post was flooded with comments from fans who recalled their own favorite moments between the two basketball icons. Some even stopped debating who is the GOAT and proclaimed both of them as the greatest to have ever played basketball.

Former Kobe Bryant Protegee Jordan Clarkson Pays Tribute to Mentor During FIBA World Cup

Former Los Angeles Laker Jordan Clarkson, who was personally mentored by Kobe Bryant himself, also paid tribute during the star's birthday. He showed off his tattoo to the media as he got ready to represent the host country, the Philippines, during the FIBA World Cup in Manila. The prestigious basketball tournament, which will be attended by various NBA stars, will kick off in Manila, Jakarta, and Okinawa on Friday, August 25.

Now a player for the Utah Jazz, the former "6th Man of the Year" awardee showed off his thigh tattoo that featured him getting mentored by the "Black Mamba."

"It meant a lot, you know, being around [Kobe Bryant] my earlier years. Definitely my GOAT. A guy that I learned a lot from, and he taught me so much. He means a lot to my career and, you know, the game of basketball. Period," said the Philippines guard, who will be kicking off his campaign against Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl Anthony Towns and the Dominican Republic.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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