1. Blog Home
  2. Apparel

Unboxed

Apparel

NBA Style Files: Bean’s Best ‘Fits

NBA Style Files: Bean’s Best ‘Fits

Sep 28, 2020

He was a husband, a dad and one of the greatest NBA players of all time. Black Mamba had style. Whether it was his crafty footwork on the court or his suave suits when striding through the arena tunnel, there’s no denying that Kobe Bean Bryant (yes, Bean was his middle name) was an NBA fashion innovator. 

The untimely death of the former Lakers’ player was an incalculable loss for his family, the basketball community and the world, but Mamba’s legacy and influence will live on. And while we continue to mourn his passing, Hibbett | City Gear also celebrates Kobe’s life and effortlessly cool looks both on and off the hardwood. In honor of his former team, the LA Lakers, making it to the NBA Finals, here are a few of our favorite iconic Kobe outfits and style moments, plus a few recommendations on how to recreate these timeless looks for yourself.

An Icon in Icon’s Clothing

It was 2002, and the Lakers were headed into the NBA Finals series with three wins under their waistbands. Throughout the games, Kobe sported a variety of sports jerseys as he made his way into the arena. None, however, garnered him as much attention as the white Chicago Bulls’ jersey with Jordan’s moniker and number, layered with a short-sleeve Bulls button-down jacket.

The Lakers won the finals, and perhaps channeling his idol, Kobe enjoyed a celebratory cigar. Get Kobe’s game-winning look with an authentic Bulls jersey. The cigar is optional.

Top Gun

What’s cooler than a black jacket, slightly baggy dark pants, a black tee, shoes and a pair of aviators? Black Mamba rocking the ensemble, that’s what. We’d happily have been the Goose to his Maverick.

There was only one Kobe, but you can still channel a similar vibe with a pair of classic Ray-Ban aviators, black Smoke Rise jeans and black Air Force 1s.

Suit & Tie

One thing that’s not up for debate: Kobe looked good in a suit. While he often opted for roomier sports jackets and pants, like the suit he wore for his 1996 Lakers draft day, Kobe’s evolution of formal dress got sharper as he aged. Case in point: A 2012 red carpet appearance in a fitted blue suit with a black shirt and tie, along with a classic watch.

Pair a well-tailored suit with sharp accessories, like Cole Haan dress shoes and a timeless watch.

Hyper Dunk!

While Kobe seemed well-suited to fashion outside of the arena, he really looked at home in the on-court comfort of a Lakers’ jersey and shorts. In ’08, while repping Team USA, Kobe popped on a pair of Nike Hyperdunks, a departure from his eponymous sneaker designs. Why? Bryant had a hand in the shoe’s launch, literally launching himself over an Aston Martin in a pair of the shoes for a Hyperdunk ad.

Now, we don’t recommend car hopping, but we do advocate shopping Kobe’s look with a pair of Hyperdunks and a Kobe Bryant Lakers uniform. For those who want a sleeker basketball sneaker, Nike recently introduced the Mamba Fury sneakers as an ode to Kobe.

Kobe and daughter Gianna’s tragic passing — along with the others lost that day — still weighs heavily in a year of heavy news. But Kobe’s love of the game and his fashion legacy will live on for generations. Read more on NBA Style Files and the pregame looks we loved.

Related Categories

Shop the Story

You Might Also Like to Read

Recently Viewed

View All Articles