eBay has removed an unauthorized pair of the “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 6 Protro sneakers after Vanessa Bryant called out Nike for releasing the tribute shoes without her consent.
via: Complex
After a pair was put up for sale on the platform for what converts to nearly $7,000, eBay has removed a listing for the “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 6 Protro.
Thanks for the concern everyone. The listing has been removed. @MJO23DAN we appreciate the help.
— ebaysneakers (@ebaysneakers) June 4, 2021
As of publishing, the shoe has also been removed from Flight Club and GOAT, and StockX although it should be noted that the “Mambacita” Kobe 6 was never actually listed as for sale on either marketplace and only appeared on product pages.
According to Vanessa, the “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 6 Protro (previously dubbed the “Mamba Forever” online) was not approved for sale—or even production. “I do not know how someone else has their hands on shoes I designed in honor of my daughter, Gigi, and we don’t,” she wrote. Now, we’re learning more about how pairs may have made it into the marketplace.
Social media commenters point to UK retailer Footpatrol as the source of the “Mambacita” product leak. A handful of customers have come forward with stories of winning a raffle for an entirely different pair of Nike Kobe 6 Protros only to receive the “Mambacita” pair in the mail. The alleged mix-up is supported by product images of the “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 6 scraped from Footpatrol’s website early by @brandon1an.
Back in April, Bryant chose not to renew her husband’s contract with the sneaker company. She and her husband’s estate were reportedly “frustrated” with how Nike limited the availability of the NBA star’s products during his retirement and after his death.
