Jalen Brunson, Kobe Bryant
Ahead of the 2025 NBA Cup, which the New York Knicks ultimately won, Jalen Brunson reflected on a moment from his teenage years that continues to shape how he approaches his career. During an ESPN sit-down, Brunson revisited his first meeting with Kobe Bryant, an encounter that now helps explain why he has little interest in having a signature sneaker.
Brunson met Bryant in 2014 when his father, Rick Brunson, served as a coach with the Chicago Bulls. The families shared a long-standing relationship, as Brunson’s mother, Sandra, was friends and former teammates with Sharia Bryant, Kobe’s sister. That connection gave Brunson a chance to meet the Lakers star during a Christmas trip to Chicago, HITC reports.
“The Lakers were playing in Chicago for Christmas. Unfortunately, Kobe did not play,” Brunson said. “I just remember him walking that hallway. As a teenager, you’re trying to keep your cool.”
That brief exchange left a permanent mark.
“I said hi, shook his hand,” Brunson recalled. “That’s when he said, ‘Why work if you don’t want to be the best?’ That quote will stick with me forever. Everything else is kind of a blur.”
A Pair of Kobes That Changed Everything
Bryant’s words were followed by a gesture that Brunson still remembers vividly. The former MVP handed him a pair of red Kobe 9 Christmas edition shoes, a moment Brunson said felt surreal.
“He had these red hi-top Kobe 9s, the Christmas 9s,” Brunson said. “The shoes kind of just fell into my hand. It was like, ‘Here you go, these are for you.’”
Brunson wore them to a high school tournament shortly after, even though his team had rules against wearing non-team colors.
“We were green and gold,” he said. “I was like, ‘I’m wearing these red shoes. There’s nothing that’s going to stop me.’”
The shoes brought more than style. They delivered confidence.
“You just feel some type of way when you’re wearing a shoe like that. It gives you an extra confidence boost,” Brunson said. “I played pretty well. It was definitely the shoes.”
At the time, he did not fully grasp the weight of the moment. In hindsight, he does.
“Knowing what I know now, I would have 1000% made sure he would have known,” Brunson added.
Why Brunson Isn’t Chasing His Own Shoe
That early connection resurfaced in January during a YouTube feature by The Grindhouse Inc., where hosts discussed Brunson’s footwear future with Nike. According to one host, internal conversations about a potential signature shoe have already taken place.
“The discussions recently has been if Jalen would have his own signature shoe with Nike,” the host said. “It’s gotten to the point now where Jalen’s said pretty much, ‘I refuse, I don’t want a signature, just let me wear Kobes for the rest of my career and I’ll be good.’”
The statement aligns with everything Brunson previously shared about Bryant’s influence. For him, the shoes represent more than branding. They tie directly to a formative moment, a lesson about work ethic, and a feeling he still carries onto the court.
While Brunson has since become an NBA star and signed with Nike, he does not have a traditional signature shoe. Instead, Nike released a Brunson sneaker under the Kobe Bryant line, inspired by New York colors. The move serves as a tribute to both his city and the player who helped shape his mindset long before he reached the league.
The moment underscores Bryant’s lasting impact. His legacy lives not only through championships and highlights, but through the players who internalized his words and built their careers around them.