Former NBA star Stephen Jackson is done seeing people take advantage of Kobe Bryant’s name.
Amid a multitude of tributes to the Mamba this week (in honor of what would have been his 44th birthday), some fans decided it was a good idea to try and make a quick buck by exploiting the occasion and trying to make some money off of Bryant’s name and number.
In a recent message to those people, Stephen Jackson went off in an unapologetic rant:
“Anybody out there who’s selling anything that got 8 or 24 on it, Kobe, Mamba, or anything, and his family ain’t seeing none, you a sucka,” Jackson said. “It’s just that simple. Opportunist. F–k outta here.”
Stephen Jackson has a message for the people trying to make money off of Kobe Bryant's name and number.
(via _stak5_/IG)pic.twitter.com/h5UZosRmfE
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 24, 2022
Unofficial merch has been around for ages, and it happens with almost every big-name player. In Kobe’s case, his passing in 2020 changes everything.
As the NBA world, and the Bryant family, still grieve the passing of Kobe, nobody should be using his name or face monetarily without direct permission from the family.
Even the Lakers avoided a quick cash grab this week by blessing fans with a special Kobe gift basket for any babies born during ‘Mamba Day.’
23rd August this year would have been his 44th birthday and the team he represented for 20 years of his life, continue to honor him after his passing. For the second straight year, they handed out Bryant-inspired gifts at the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital to newborns.
The card reads, “WELCOME TO THE WORLD! One of your family’s most special days has landed on one of our organization’s most celebrated days. On this year’s Kobe Day, here’s to your next-generation Lakers fan. They’ve already got a little of the Mamba Mentality in them.”
Those are the kind of gestures that Kobe would have been proud of. As a man of the people, Bryant was always looking after those less fortunate than himself, and the Lakers are honoring that by passing it down to their fans.
Regarding the ‘opportunists’ — hopefully, Stephen Jackson’s warning gets heard, and Kobe’s name stops being exploited to make money and sell merch. It’s just another important way to respect his family after his tragic and untimely passing.
