It's not easy to find gifts for millionaires, but Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa apparently hit a home run with Los Angeles Dodgers players this week.
On the eighth anniversary of Bryant's last NBA game, Vanessa gave members of the Dodgers exclusive sneakers in a team color scheme from the late basketball star's signature Nike line.
The club posted a thank you message to Vanessa Bryant with photos of the sneakers on the social media platform X, and shared video on Instagram of players opening their new Nike Kobe 6 LA Dodgers PE shoes.
Mookie Betts said he was going to wear them every day, and manager Dave Roberts said: 'These are ridiculous. I'm going to rock these with Mamba pride.'
Bryant scored 60 points for the Los Angeles Lakers against the Utah Jazz at home in the last game of his career on April 13, 2016, often referred to as Mamba Day in a nod to his Black Mamba nickname.
Mookie Betts (left) and Dave Roberts (right) are seen receiving their sneakers from Nike
Kobe Bryant attends a World Series game in 2018 between the Dodgers and the Red Sox
Kobe Bryant poses with his family at halftime of a Lakers game in December of 2017
Kobe Bryant, daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in 2020.
The Bryant family has always had a strong connection with the Dodgers.
In September, Natalia Bryant threw out the first pitch before a game against the visiting Atlanta Braves.
Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller admires his new Nike Kobe 6 LA Dodgers PE shoes
Afterwards, a smiling Natalia hugged Betts, who wore her father's No. 24 jersey over his uniform.
Bryant was joined by her mother, Vanessa, and sisters, 6-year-old Bianka and 4-year-old Capri. They all wore Dodgers jerseys. The back of Vanessa's read Queen Mamba, a nod to Kobe's nickname. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka also attended.
The Braves and Dodgers lined up along the first and third base sides, with the Dodgers wearing Lakers jerseys and fans chanting 'Kobe! Kobe!'
As the Bryants were introduced, Vanessa blew a kiss to the crowd. Natalia carried her youngest sister before handing her off and standing alone on the field to watch a slide show of her father visiting the Dodgers clubhouse.
Natalia was following in her father's footsteps. Kobe Bryant handled first-pitch duties at a Dodgers game in 2000.
The family settled into the owners' box to watch the game, with Bianka hanging over the fence separating the seats from the field for a better look.
Fans who purchased a special ticket package received a black jersey with Dodgers and No. 8 on the front and Bryant and No. 24 on the back, the numbers Bryant wore during his 20-year career in Los Angeles.
The Dodgers presented a $100,000 check to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, a nonprofit that provides funding and sports programming to underserved athletes.
