LA Lakers News Roundup: Kobe Bryant’s sneaker line continues to dominate the NBA more than two years after his untimely death; LeBron James invests in Neutral Foods, joining other NBA stars as stakeholders and more | April 30th, 2022

The late Kobe Bryant's popularity hasn't waned as his shoes dominate the NBA. [Photo: GQ]

LA Lakers icon Kobe Bryant’s spirit lives strong in the NBA. Close to 300 players have worn at least one model of the “Black Mamba’s” signature line. The unwavering popularity of Bryant’s sneakers is just one proof of the impact and influence he has left on the basketball world.

LeBron James’ business portfolio continues to grow even as he enjoys the sun and the beach in the Maldives. The LA Lakers franchise player recently joined Tobias Harris and Kevin Love as investors in Neutral Foods, the country’s first carbon-neutral food company.

Rob Pelinka and the LA Lakers front office will have a different approach in searching for Frank Vogel’s replacement. The innovative idea is supposedly to provide them with a quicker and more comprehensive process than how the NBA conducts coaching interviews.

Kobe Bryant’s legacy isn’t going anywhere

KB24's basketball shoe lines are top draws in the NBA. [Photo: Complex]

Simmering beneath the gloom of Kobe Bryant’s death was the fate of his signature shoes. Basketball plans and players were rightfully afraid that they would no longer get to enjoy one of the most iconic and sought-after sneaker lines.

It wasn’t until Nike and the Bryant estate were able to resolve their differences did the sneaker world breathe a sigh of relief. Long before the agreement was made, though, Kobe Bryant's shoes had been a staple in the NBA.

In the past year, amid contract renegotiations with his estate, @kobebryant's Nikes have dominated the NBA

- 7,097 total pairs worn
- 274 players wore pair at least once
- The most-worn sneaker in the league (Kobe 6)

@NickDePaula & I on the beloved line: undf.td/38tZNCh https://t.co/9OuKv1M1Sl

Nike recently released the Nike Kobe 6 Protro ‘Mambacita'. A year ago, the shoe was released by Swoosh without approval from the Bryant estate. This is one of the most anticipated models to arrive this year.

Jayson Tatum added glamor to Game 4 of the Boston Celtics vs Brooklyn Nets matchup when he wore a custom Kobe Bryant sneaker. It had a gold-colored script recalling Bryant’s words to Tatum:

“How much does it mean to you?”

“One of the many things I took from [Kobe] that always stuck with me, he just asked me one day, ‘How much does it mean to you?’ And that puts things in perspective. You know, how much does being great or being a champion or whatever, how much does it mean?”

JT’s Game 4 kicks: https://t.co/CHHbhT5Kfb

LeBron James expands his business ventures by investing in Neutral Foods

LeBron James is one of the biggest names investing in Neutral Foods. [Photo: Lake Show Life]

Neutral Foods is endorsed by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and renowned businessman Bill Gates. The company is supposedly the first in the USA to use carbon-neutral food production. Helping farmers and the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are two of the biggest goals of the company.

The LA Lakers superstar joins a long list of famous stakeholders in the company. Tobias Harris of the Philadelphia 76ers, Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Grammy winner John Legend and model Emily Ratajkowski.

LeBron James and a number of other celebrities have invested in Neutral Foods. Details:
lakersnation.com/lakers-news-le… https://t.co/7sez9iVErR

LeBron James may be out of the postseason but he’s not stopping his off-court endeavors. Before the Neutral Foods investment, he also collaborated with Crypto.com to provide better education to the residents of Akron, Ohio.

If “King James” successful business ventures will reflect on the LA Lakers’ next campaign, the NBA better watch out.

The LA Lakers management will try a different approach to determine their next head coaching hire

Hiring the right head coach will be crucial for the LA Lakers' success next season. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

Former head coach Frank Vogel took the brunt of the blame along with Russell Westbrook for the Lakers’ epic failure this season.

Picking his replacement to lead the Hollywood team next year will be crucial. Rob Pelinka and crew will be using a different approach to nail this very important process.

Adrian Wojnarowski reported on what the LA Lakers will do about their coaching search:

“Typically, teams will ask for permission on may be up to a dozen candidates — a large number, start interviewing them one after another, do sometimes two or three in a day on Zoom, bring them in person. The Lakers, what I’m told they’re gonna do, is essentially call for permission on a couple of guys at a time, talk to those coaches, think about it and then move on to a next group of two, perhaps three.”

Woj on the Lakers approach into finding a new head coach.

#NBATwitter #LakeShow https://t.co/I0sb78IfIH

Team manager Rob Pelinka previously stressed that a coach with the “voice” that the Lakers will respect will be a big part of the search. Just how this approach will benefit the LA Lakers remains to be seen.