NIKE BASKETBALL | KOBE RETIREMENT "THE CONDUCTOR"

Kobe Bryant may be one of the greatest players to ever play the game. And when Kobe announced that he would be retiring and making his farewell tour through the NBA, we knew we had to give Kobe a legendary farewell. With this campaign, Nike Basketball wanted to create a narrative that summed up Kobe’s historic career, but also allowed the world to remember Kobe for the one-of-a-kind player and person he was. Kobe Bryant’s career hasn’t just been about dominance on the court. It’s been about discovering who he is and the effect that can have on the rest of the world. 

Over his twenty year career, Kobe has cemented himself as the bad guy, the antagonist, the heel - the player others hate to love and love to hate. Like many elite athletes, Kobe lived to silence his critics and doubters. What set Kobe apart is that he thrived in the midst of negativity. The more rancor he had to confront, the more he rose to the occasion and handed out punishment. Kobe didn't merely win - he truly enjoyed beating others. But there was another side to the story. For millions, Kobe Bryant was the subject of a dark obsession. Fans hated him to such a degree that it told us way more about these people - and their reality - than it did about Kobe. They needed to fear Kobe. And Kobe had always been more than willing to play the role of basketball’s great antihero, consistently inviting opponents and fans alike to bring on their worst, then giving them exactly what they wanted in return. And when Kobe was gone, they were sure going to miss him.