Michael Jordan Gifts Kobe Bryant Full Set Of ‘Air Jordans’ To Mark Retirement

Kobe Bryant has worked hard to emulate Michael Jordan over the years. Now he can do so without trying.

Jordan on Friday gave Bryant a pair of sneakers from every “Air Jordan” line ever produced as a retirement gift. Jordan Brands president Larry Miller presented Bryant the full set at a ceremony in Toronto as part of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend festivities, according to Nike and USA Today’s Mike Bohn.

Jumpman brands, a Nike subsidiary which Jordan fronts, also announced the gift on Twitter.

“The Jordan Brand is about more than basketball, it’s about leaving a legacy and honoring those who have left a legacy,” Miller said. “Tonight the brand was able to honor one of the games great players and the legacy he created.”

Jordan’s gift to Bryant includes every version from I through XXX in both plain white and all black. Jordan also threw in pairs of Air Jordan III and Air Jordan VIII, which Bryant wore during the 2002-03 season, in the Los Angeles Lakers’ purple and gold colors.

Bryant gratefully accepted Jordan’s gift, reminding the public of the time and distances he has traveled to greatness.

“(Michael Jordan) and I have had such a beautiful relationship since I first came into the league, and he’s really been a big brother to me really throughout this entire journey,” Bryant said. “I told him, ‘You have no idea how much I worked to try to find a pair of these shoes when I was in high-school.’ Now I have the whole collection, which is pretty sweet.”

Bryant should have no problem choosing what sneakers to wear as his legendary NBA career winds down.

Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@Eurosport_UK