While the Los Angeles Lakers are just beginning their journey, the Los Angeles Dodgers just completed theirs by defeating the New York Yankees to win the 2024 World Series. The Dodgers actually took some inspiration from the Lakers and the late, great Kobe Bryant in particular, having his famous “Job’s not finished” quote inside their locker room throughout the postseason.
Kobe, of course, famously made that statement during the Lakers’ run to the 2009 NBA Championship, responding with those words when asked why he wasn’t smiling after the Lakers went ahead 2-0 in the series. The Dodgers used that mantra to keep their heads on straight on their run and Nike would take that and pay respects in the best way possible to Kobe by sending an amazing gift to his wife Vanessa Bryant.
According to Nice Kicks, Nike sent Vanessa an apparel package inspired by Kobe with an 8-in-24 logo as well as the quote, “Job finished”:
Nike sent Vanessa Bryant a special Kobe-inspired apparel package celebrating the Dodgers 8th World Series win 🐍♾️ pic.twitter.com/5AmlSl8Civ
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) October 31, 2024
It was always said that Kobe inspired so many outside of the game of basketball. His work ethic and that ‘Mamba Mentality’ can be applied anywhere and his words were perfect for the Dodgers on their run to the World Series Championship. The Dodgers had gotten close many times, but for the most part have struggled to finish the job. This year they weren’t going to be satisfied until the job was finished and it worked.
For Nike to send this to Vanessa was also a beautiful sign of the relationship that still exists between them. Kobe meant so much to so many and this is solidarity at its finest. The Lakers and Dodgers are always linked and this is more proof of that. And there is no doubt that this apparel will be selling like crazy whenever it becomes available.
DeAndre Hopkins pays homage to Lakers’ Kobe Bryant with new jersey number
Many athletes choose to pay homage to their favorite athletes by wearing their jersey number. Many number 8s and 24s are around the NBA because of Kobe Bryant, but that can also happen across sports as well and new Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the latest to pay respect to Kobe.
Hopkins was recently traded to the Chiefs and changed his jersey number from 10 to 8, revealing that Kobe is one of his favorite athletes ever and that number is a special one for him.
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