Natalia Bryant is guarding her father's shoes. Literally. The eldest daughter of Kobe Bryant is taking on her dad's legacy and making sure it passes on to the right hands, in this case, to Knicks star Jalen Brunson.
Natalia plays a part in Nike's newest ad promoting Kobe's signature sneakers. The shoes are a staple of Kobe and of Los Angeles, the team Kobe played for for the majority of his career.
Now, Brunson is giving the sneakers a New York twist, shopping for them at a jewelry store called "Rings-N-Things. In the ad, Natalia appears focused, wearing some glasses as she adds the finishing touches to Kobe's sneakers, which are white high tops.
As Brunson walks in and peruses the shop, he spots the shoe, reaching for it. Natalia pops up and snags them away. "You reach, I teach," she says, beginning to question him about "clutch" playstyle.
The ad marks a new way in which Natalia continues to honor her father, one where she gets to show off her acting and performance talents, skills she's been honing over the past years, with her modeling for various brands and studying filmmaking at the University of Southern California.
Natalia's tribute to her father on her graduation
Natalia Bryant graduated from college in May of this year, a significant moment in her journey as an adult and professional. At her ceremony, Bryant added a special touch to her graduation sash, getting Kobe's Nike sheath logo embroidered on it. The logo is featured on all of Kobe's merchandise.
In 2028, as Los Angeles gears up to host the Olympics, the city reached out to Vanessa Bryant to ensure Kobe's legacy is a part of the city's historic occasion.
In a statement, Vanessa revealed that they would be debuting a new Kobe emblem. "We designed this emblem in his honor," she said.
"We hope this inspires the Mamba mentality in every aspiring Olympian and Paralympian. We're so proud to see this emblem represent the Los Angeles Games. I know Kobe would be so proud to host the Games in this great city."