Patrick Johnson 
Kobe Bryant and Nike Basketball are giving back to the Los Angeles community that rooted for the Black Mamba for over 20 years with a new youth basketball initiative known as the Mamba League. The inaugural season covered four underserved communities in LA County with Nickerson Gardens in watts, Whittier, West San Gabriel Valley/ Monterey Park, and Venice all serving as testing grounds to help give kids positive experiences with athletics from a young age. The Mamba League’s 40 coaches were all volunteers drawn from local Nike stores and Boys & Girls Club staff members looking to mentor.
“This is more than just a competition,” says Bryant, who surprised the players by showing up to watch the Mamba Challenge tournament on April 15. “The league is about empowering players and coaches and seeing kids increase their self-confidence as young leaders both on and off the court.”
The Nike Basketball Mamba League looks to expand throughout 2018 to include more boys and girls looking to start their basketball journey. Read the full piece over on Nike News.
