Kobe Bryant has made a brand out of his Mamba Mentality. From a puppet that pops up during ABC games to a training facility for athletes in the Los Angeles area, Bryant has tried hard to cultivate an association between he and the snake he named his alter ego after.
For those that identify with Bryant and his Mamba Mentality, the now-retired Laker legend partnered with Spalding to release a special edition basketball. Spalding revealed the ball earlier in the month, and it officially goes up for sale for Spalding MVP members on the company’s website on Friday morning. The rest of the limited run will then go on sale for $125 at 1 p.m. EST for non-MVP members and at Dick’s Sporting Goods’ website.
“The Mamba Mentality is what defined me throughout my career,” Bryant said in a release. “Spalding understands that product quality is a big part of that mentality.”
Bryant said the ball brings the Mamba Mentality to life.” Officially called the Kobe Bryant 24K Basketball, the ball is the latest in Spalding’s 94 series, which has included collaborations with BAPE and Just Don.
The black and gold design is finished with a Mamba-inspired snakeskin composite cover, with an embossed finish that’s far from the typical leather or rubber finish you’re used to from a traditional ball.
The ball is designed for indoor play because of the snakeskin finish, but it would also look great displayed with a Kobe fan’s Lakers gear.
