'That Lady Horrible!': Kobe Bryant's Widow Blasted for Gesture Made on What Would Have Been His 45th Birthday

• The famous basketball player Kobe Bryant passed away unexpectedly in a tragic accident three years ago.
• To honor her husband on what would have been his 45th birthday, his widow released a unique set of shoes with Nike.
• Not everyone received the news about the shoes in Kobe's honor well, with some accusing Vanessa Bryant of using her husband's memory to make money.

Kobe Bryant is a name that won't soon be lost to the annals of basketball history. As a talented athlete, Kobe left his mark on the sport he excelled in, and countless fans still look up to him today. Sadly, the basketball player lost his life early on after he got caught up in a tragic helicopter accident.

The NBA star was flying with eight other people the day he died, which included his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant. At 10 a.m., the helicopter they were in came tumbling out of the sky near Calabasas, a mere 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Although rescue crews were on the scene in minutes, it was too late.

Bryant and all of the others on board the helicopter — including the pilot — passed away. The LA County Sheriffs Tweeted about the incident, writing, "Five people confirmed deceased, no survivors in #Calabasas helicopter crash. #LASD #Malibu deputies remain with #LA County Fire personnel. Investigation ongoing. Avoid the area until further notice."

How Vanessa Bryant Chose to Honor Her Late Husband

Following her husband and daughter's deaths, Vanessa Bryant was left with the remaining kids. The family mourned the loss of their father and kept his memory alive in various ways. Three years after his death, in August 2023, Vanessa decided to do something special for what would have been the NBA star's 45th birthday.

Yet, despite the vitriol, Vanessa and her daughters, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri, do their best to celebrate the late Kobe every year.

In honor of her late husband, Vanessa approached the show retailer Nike, proposing they work together to make a shoe worthy of the basketball icon's name. Nike agreed, and soon, the news of their new range of sneakers was announced. They named it the Nike Kobe 8 Protro "Halo" shoe.

Vanessa designed the shoe herself, and Nike announced that they would be releasing the new product on August 23. Everything seemed to be going well. The shoe was designed and on its way, but neither Nike nor Vanessa could predict how the public would take the news of the new range of sneakers.

While Vanessa undoubtedly thought a new sneaker would be an apt way to celebrate the life of an athlete, countless social media users saw the entire ordeal as a soulless money grab. They took to the internet, spreading their less-than-amicable opinion about Vanessa's new shoes far and wide.

One user asked, "She's still using his name to make money! If she designed them why not give them her name?" Others concurred, "She still thing to get money. That lady horrible. She even kicked her mother out of house .. Kobe bought for her," "She's cashing out," and "It's all about the money."

Yet, despite the vitriol, Vanessa and her daughters, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri, do their best to celebrate the late Kobe every year. Vanessa still shares images of her late husband on her Instagram, and even sent her daughter a bouquet of flowers on her first day of school with a note reading, "Happy first day of school! Love you always, Daddy."