Nike Inc said on Tuesday
merchandise associated with Kobe Bryant, the NBA star who died
in a helicopter crash on Sunday, was sold out on its website.
A search for Kobe-branded products on the footwear maker's
website direct customers to an obituary page for the player.
Bryant's collaboration with Nike began nearly two decades
ago and included several hit products with the "Kobe" tag such
as AD, Zoom and NXT athletic shoes.
Interest in Kobe-branded products also surged on resale
marketplace StockX's website, including in some of his most
noted sneaker collaborations.
Bryant over the years released hundreds of products in
partnership with Nike, many of which were fast fan favorites
that have even become the preferred game shoe for players across
the league, StockX said in a statement.
According to ESPN, more than 100 NBA players have worn
Bryant shoes this season.
Earlier on Tuesday, several media reports said Nike
suspended the sale of Kobe Bryant merchandise on its online
store.
Bryant rocketed to fame as an 18-year-old rookie and played
20 years for the Los Angeles Lakers, 18 as an all-star forward,
and won five NBA championships.
He was one of the nine people killed on Sunday when the
helicopter they were traveling in crashed in Calabasas,
California. His 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, was among those
who perished.
"He was a beloved member of the Nike family," the sneaker
maker said in a tribute to Bryant.