featured-image
LOS ANGELES — Nike has officially kicked off the fourth annual Mamba Invitational this weekend at L.A. Live's Peacock Place across the street from the house that Kobe Bryant built and played 20 incredible seasons of basketball.
This year, however, the Mamba Invitational began with an amazing exhibit that dove into the science and art behind Kobe footwear innovation.
The exhibit starts out showcasing a beautiful mural of Kobe Bryant by artist Mikala Taylor, from his signature jump-xshot to his popular walk-off pose from his 2016 “Conductor” commercial with Nike. It then moves on to showcase the shoe journey Bryant took from the beginning of his Nike signature line to the latest while highlighting product storytelling, performance innovation, Kobe Brand heritage, and artistic interpretation.
“This is the ultimate culmination of us advancing Kobe's legacy,” Dan Sunwoo, General Manager and head of Kobe Brand told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview at the Mamba Invitational. “On Saturday, Sunday, you're going to see the most elite high school basketball players come out and compete. And for us, nothing is given. They've got to come out and earn their keep.
“This year, we just wanted to really extend the legacy of what he stood for around creativity. So obviously, his second chapter of his career was winning an Oscar. Sometimes I can't believe that happened. You forget that. But he was maniacally obsessed with that as well. And he took his model mentality outside of just basketball. It was about him being a father, it was about him being a creative, it was him being a storyteller. So we're just trying to bring a little bit of that to life through the art of obsession.”
In addition to the exhibit and tournament, Nike is also using this event to tease a new Kobe Bryant shoe set to release at some point in 2027.
Mamba Invitational, Kobe Bryant shoe artwork, Los Angeles Lakers, Nike
Mamba Invitational, Kobe Bryant shoe artwork, Los Angeles Lakers, Nike
“Kobe started this project,” Sunwoo added. “We're committed to carrying it forward to the finish. More details soon. We’re working on launching the first unfinished project we started with Kobe. We are revisiting the prototypes we worked on together and will advance a legacy defined by a shared belief in the infinite pursuit of better.”
With the tournament stage set alongside an incredible exhibit and artwork, the Mamba Invitational is officially ready for Los Angeles to take in this weekend.
Dan Sunwoo, head of Kobe Brand, spoke with ClutchPoints ahead of the Mamba Invitational to break down the meaning behind this year's set up, how to carry the Kobe Brand into the future, to tease a new Kobe shoe, and more.
Tomer Azarly: First of all, what's it like to head Kobe Brand?
Dan Sunwoo: It's a dream. And it hits me every day. Every day man. Sometimes I wake up and I'm like, how did I get here? What am I doing? Yeah, I feel really fortunate and blessed.
Tomer Azarly: Did you grow up a big Lakers fan or a big Kobe fan?
Dan Sunwoo: I didn't grow up a Lakers fan. But Kobe is obviously always the GOAT. He was incredible. For me, growing up watching, I'm an 80's baby. So what I loved about him is he made you feel something. There's no in-between. And for me, I love people who hated him because it was so easy to be like yo, just watch. Also the stats speak for speak for themselves.
Tomer Azarly: Now we're here at the Mamba Invitational. What can you tell us about what you guys put together here over the next few days with the athletes, the games, and just the Kobe Brand?
Dan Sunwoo: This is the ultimate culmination of us advancing Kobe's legacy. On Saturday, Sunday, you're going to see the most elite high school basketball players come out and compete. And for us, nothing is given. They've got to come out and earn their keep. And then also this year, we just wanted to really extend the legacy of what he stood for around creativity. So obviously, his second chapter of his career was winning an Oscar. Sometimes I can't believe that happened. You forget that. But he was maniacally obsessed with that as well. And he took his model mentality outside of just basketball. It was about him being a father, it was about him being a creative, it was him being a storyteller. So we're just trying to bring a little bit of that to life through the art of obsession.
Tomer Azarly: So him being a father, storyteller, creator, how do you guys showcase that year throughout this weekend?
Dan Sunwoo: I mean, we do our best. I mean, he's such a dynamic individual with so many layers for us. Mamba Mentality is the foundation of the brand. And what we want to do is that we're just representing that in how we show up every year. So this is the third year that I've been a part of it. And every year, our big thing is not just making this event better, one percent better every year, but it's every day, the way we show up, like, I'm always challenging us, myself, the team to go, “how can we get better than we were yesterday?”
The Mamba Invitational is back in Los Angeles, this time with an exhibit into the history of Kobe Bryant’s signature shoe and a tease into the next shoe Kobe started.
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 9, 2026
Tomer Azarly: What motivated you guys to set up the exhibit way you guys did? And what stories did you want to tell through this exhibit?
Article Continues Below
Anthony Davis created a signature Lakers playoff moment in 2020 with his "Mamba shot" buzzer-beater against which team?
Dan Sunwoo: Yeah, for us, it's about celebrating the legacy of the past through the Protros and what he's accomplished on the court. It's also taking this brand to the future, right? There's amazing guys and gals on the court, men and women on the court that are carrying on that legacy by rocking his shoes and telling the Mamba Mentality through their own lens. And so that's what that second chapter is. And obviously the third chapter is signaling to the future around the Kobe 10 and the incredible work that is to come around those.
Tomer Azarly: Is it tough to balance honoring what he was as a player, father, and creator, but also trying to move into the future with something he would've been proud of?
Dan Sunwoo: Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah, absolutely. That's probably the thing that we think through and obsess about day after day. But we have incredible teammates, we obviously work really closely with the estate on what feels right and authentic. So we're just trying to do, you know, our best in partnership with the estate to just make sure that we're honoring the legacy.
Tomer Azarly: How important is it to have the Mamba Invitational and this Kobe exhibit in front of the house that Kobe built in Staples Center?
Dan Sunwoo: I mean, it's symbolic. Yeah, it's symbolic. When you think about this, I still honestly, for me, I have to remind myself it's Crypto dot com Arena. It's not Staples. But all the incredible memories that not only he obviously had, but for all of Los Angeles, like, there's a reason why he's revered the way he's revered here, right? All the Angelenos, I didn't really feel it until I started talking to a lot more consumers, meeting the team here who are born and bred Angelenos. Man, it's different.
Tomer Azarly: So where are you originally from?
Dan Sunwoo: I grew up all over. So I was born in Texas, moved to Michigan, then to Korea, then to Cleveland, Ohio, then to Boston, back to Korea, back to Boston, to Charlotte, and then out here. So I moved around on a lot.
Tomer Azarly: So when you got to Los Angeles, what did you learn about how Kobe Bryant is looked at, revered, and just accepted by everyone here?
Dan Sunwoo: Yeah, I'll say this, it's something that I knew. And obviously you can understand what's going on, what went on, and how much people love him here, but it's actually similar to this experience. The first time I went to China, I heard the same thing. “Oh people love Kobe there,” and “Kobe's a god there,” and i'm like, “cool.” You kind of understand it, but when you get there you feel it. You're like, “oh okay this is different.” I can't really describe it in words, but you just feel it. It's just different here. It's just the the love and then admiration and the connection is just different.
Tomer Azarly: What kind of responsibility do you feel like you have not only to the fans here, but globally because he's such a global icon.
Dan Sunwoo: Yeah, I mean immense immense uh responsibility, but we have an incredible team that all sweats all the details and tries to make sure that we're doing right by the legacy the family and so for us, I always just try to remind myself if we just keep that in the forefront of things, hopefully things all work out.
Tomer Azarly: What do you hope that everyone kind of gets out of this this weekend here?
Dan Sunwoo: I hope they come and have fun I hope they learn something about Kobe and the legacy that he's left behind, not just on the court, but also beyond. And then honestly for me, and why I love Nike and got into sneakers and the whole nine is the community building aspect of it. I met some amazing friends waiting on lines for sneakers I just hope that Kobe heads come here and they get to greet each other and meet each other.
Tomer Azarly: Do you have a favorite Kobe memory?
Dan Sunwoo: Oh man, my favorite Kobe shoe is bar none the Kobe 5. My favorite Kobe memory. I mean I have so many. Matt Barnes and him just not flinching. The 60 piece that he dropped on his way out. Coming back from a sprained ankle in the NBA Finals. I mean there's so many. You can't pick one, but you know what's amazing about too is it's not just the on-court stories. I don't know if your Instagram feed is full of stories of him, obviously, being a crazy maniac on the court, the blackout workouts, waking up at 4 A.M. doing that all the time, but it's the philosophies that he really preaches around, how to just be a better person in all aspects of life, and so that's the big thing that I really take away.