IN PHOTOS: LSU women's basketball squad celebrates "life and legacy" of Gigi Bryant with Nike Kobe 8 Mambacita sneakers
Players on the LSU Tigers women's basketball team have each received a new pair of sneakers from Nike. But these aren't just any pair of sneakers.
The Tigers received Kobe 8 Mambacita sneakers on Thursday.
The sneakers celebrate the life of Gigi Byrant, the daughter of basketball legend Kobe Byrant. Both were killed in a helicopter accident in January 2020.
Gigi took after her father and was likely to pursue a career in basketball. She was a star in the making and could have joined the likes of Caitlin Clark in taking the sport to new levels of talent and popularity. She dreamt of playing for the UConn Huskies and was honored by the program after her death.
The sneakers, adorned with the "Mambacita" name, are another way Gigi is honored and remembered. They cement not only her father's legacy but also her own.
Can the LSU Tigers fill the gap left by Angel Reese?
For the last couple of seasons, the LSU Tigers women's basketball team was led by star Angel Reese, a three-time All-American.
Reese is seen as one of the players who transformed the women's game into something similar to its male counterpart.
Reese was the key player in the Tigers' 2023 national championship win, defeating Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in the final. She sparked controversy for the taunting gesture she performed to Clark late in the game. The pair meet again in the Elite Eight stage of the 2024 edition of March Madness. This time, Clark prevailed in what was Angel Reese's final LSU game.
She now plays for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA.
With Reese gone, who will fill the gap left by her? The player likely to do so is Flau'jae Johnson.
Johnson showed potential during the 2024 March Madness, especially when she outscored Angel Reese. The former Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year will be a junior in the 2024-25 season and has gained enough experience to be able to confidently take over from Reese.
With Johnson now at the helm, the Tigers will try to replicate the success from two seasons ago. They are a skilled team, and in a college basketball world without Caitlin Clark, Johnson has the opportunity to become one of the best players and lead the LSU Tigers to their second national championship.