In Photo: Luka Doncic arrives in Boston sporting "Girl Dad" Nike Kobe 4s for Game 5
Amid his busy NBA Finals schedule, Luka Doncic made time to show appreciation towards his daughter Gabriela on his first Father's Day as a parent. Hours after engineering a dominant 122-84 victory against the Boston Celtics in a do-or-die Game 4, the Dallas Mavericks superstar was spotted wearing special shoes as he boarded a flight to Boston.
A fan page dedicated to Luka Doncic posted a photo of him wearing the sneakers with the caption:
"Prior to celebrating his first Father’s Day, Luka Dončić boarded the Mavs charter in the recently released Nike Kobe 4 Protro “Girl Dad”''
The shoes in question are a special release called Nike Kobe 4 Protro ‘Girl Dad,' paying tribute to Kobe Bryant and his close relationship with his daughters.
How did Luka Doncic inspire the Nike Kobe 4 Protro 'Girl Dad'?
Doncic is one of the main reasons behind the creation of this pair of signature shoes. During Luka's second season in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks traveled to play the LA Lakers at the Staples Center on Dec. 31, 2019.
Kobe Bryant sat courtside to watch the young phenom with his daughter Gigi, both enjoying the game. In his later years, the Mamba spent most of his time with his daughters and coached Gigi's basketball team.
Kobe, sporting a green beanie and an orange hoodie, heckled Luka Doncic in Slovenian from the sidelines. This was one of his final public appearances before his tragic death on Jan. 26, 2020.
According to BSTN.com,
"The shoes’ dark green upper mirrors the Philadelphia Eagles beanie that Bryant wore that day, representing his home town football team in the building that had become synonymous with his heroics performed there over the course of 20 seasons.
"The bright orange insole is modeled after the WNBA hoodie he wore to the game. A ‘Girl Dad’ inscription can be found on the inside of the tongues on this special edition commemorating the moment."
Luka Doncic scored his career-high 73 points on January 26, 2024, on the fourth anniversary of his idol's death.