How Kobe got the orange hoodieīryant’s post-playing legacy was starting to grow as an avid supporter of the women’s game. “It didn’t transcend unto the world until Kobe wore it,” Jones said. Some who received it didn’t wear it or weren’t interested, and for a while, it was a “W thing.” People like Shea Serrano, Jemele Hill, Gabrielle Union and Charlamagne Tha God were on the hoodie train early. With the players on board, Jones got it in the hands of influencers who were already supportive of the WNBA. A’ja Wilson, the 2020 WNBA MVP, was the first to wear it while on the bench in a boot rehabbing an ankle sprain. Las Vegas Aces forward A'ja Wilson wears the orange WNBA hoodie while rehabbing an ankle injury during the 2019 season. “Who the heck is going to wear a hoodie? But I was like, something about this hoodie is just calling me. “I literally went back and forth with myself about it because we’re a summer sport,” said Jones, who left the league in August to pursue other opportunities. It came down to the now-iconic hoodie, a long-sleeve crewneck and a T-shirt. That created an issue for Jones, who decided she’d have to pick a piece she liked from Fanatics. The problem was fans and even ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo, who mentioned fanny packs on broadcasts the rest of the season, were irritated they couldn’t purchase them. Pieces like the WNBA fanny pack at the 2019 All-Star weekend were popular. But her job didn’t cover merch designs - license holders do all of that - so instead she worked out side deals for players. When Jones took on her new role for the WNBA, she was hoping to overhaul that given all the fan complaints. (AP Photo/Michael Owen Baker) WNBA orange hoodie campaign began before Kobeįor years, apparel for women’s sports and female fans was almost always glittery and pinked out. Kobe Bryant wore the WNBA sweatshirt the league gave him during a Los Angeles Lakers game at Staples Center on Dec. And when he died one year ago, his impact on the women’s game went into overdrive through a hoodie that Jones was able to get into his hands. When the Los Angeles Lakers legend stepped off the court for the final time, he began building an additional one. But if God felt it was time for him to go and his time from here was gone, he made sure that he even made a statement going out.”īryant’s legacy will always begin on a basketball court. “It’s so extremely unfortunate that we lost him because of all the wonderful things he wanted to do for the league. I feel like things happen for a reason,” Jones told Yahoo Sports. “Everybody in the world respected Kobe, and that image of him with his daughter being the last one - I don’t believe in coincidences. Or that he did so in the last public photo before his death. And she certainly never believed it would be because Kobe Bryant wore it, his hoops-loving daughter Gianna beaming by his side. Jones didn’t expect millions more would feel the same call she did that day in 2019. It came in youth, women’s and men’s sizes. The bright orange pullover with the white logo kept calling her name.Įb Jones, the WNBA’s former lead for content and influencer strategy, pored through pages of league apparel on the Fanatics website.
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