Kobe Bryant: Hornets' Gordon Hayward Honors Late NBA Icon With Custom Shoes

The country mourned the one-year anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death on Jan. 26, paying tribute to [...]

By John Newby

The country mourned the one-year anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death on Jan. 26, paying tribute to the late NBA icon in a number of ways. Charlotte Hornets star Gordon Hayward is among those remembering Bryant, doing so with his footwear. He has been wearing a custom pair of shoes featuring No. 24 and a special message from his former opponent.

The custom versions of his Anta Hayward 2s featured a snakeskin design that referenced Bryant's "Black Mamba" nickname. No. 24 was on the heel of each show while "Remember" covered the midfoot. The laces featured the last two sentences from a message that Bryant sent his fellow NBA player in 2017 about an injury. Hayward fractured his left ankle on an awkward landing during a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Be sad. Be mad. Be frustrated. Scream. Cry. Sulk," Bryant wrote in his message to Hayward. "When you wake up you will think it was just a nightmare only to realize it's all too real. You will be angry and wish for the day back, the game back THAT play back. But reality gives nothing back and nor should you. Time to move on and focus on doing everything in your power to prepare for surgery, ask all the questions to be sure you understand fully the procedure so that you may visualize it in your subconscious while being operated on and better the chance of it's success.

"Then focus on the recovery process day by day by day. It's a long journey but if you focus on the mini milestones along the way you will find beauty in the struggle of doing simple things that prior to this injury were taken for granted," Bryant continued. "This will also mean that when you return you will have a new perspective. You will be so appreciative of being able to stand, walk, run that you will train harder than you ever have. You see the belief within you grow with each mini milestone and you will come back a better player for it. Best of luck to you on this journey my brother [Mamba Mentality] always."

According to TMZ Sports, the two NBA figures have been tied together for years. They faced off several times on the court, including during Bryant's final game. Some fans even speculated that Hayward committed a lane violation in order to set his peer up for his 60th point. However, the NBA player denied this claim and said that Bryant would have lost respect for him "if I gave him something free."

Years after their battles on the court, Hayward is honoring his friend. The custom shoes deliver a powerful message and highlight their unique connection. Every time he makes a play in the custom shoes, Hayward continues to do so.

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