Kobe Bryant’s Instagram looked a little different on Thursday when five bold words appeared, all in different colors.
Kobe Bryant is issuing #MambaMentality challenges to famous people on Instagram
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
The words, FEARLESS, HONESTY, DETACHED, PASSION, and OPTIMISM all came with a separate challenge for an athlete or famous person. Here’s the full list:
Isaiah Thomas
@isaiahthomas I challenge you to make the All-NBA First Team next season #mambamentality
DeMar DeRozan
@demar_derozan I challenge you to rekindle a lost friendship from your youth in Compton #mambamentality
Kendrick Lamar
@kendricklamar I challenge your record label to revolutionize the music program at Centennial High School #mambamentality
Allyson Felix
@AF85 I challenge you to coach the sprinters for the upcoming Special Olympics #mambamentality
Richard Sherman
@RSherman25 I challenge you to break the Seahawks single season interception record #mambamentality
At first I got really excited about the idea that Kobe was setting random challenges for people, because that’s fun. Then I found out it’s just a marketing tie-in for his new shoes from Nike, and each of the words just represents a colorway.
That said, some of these challenges really do seek to do good. Asking Kendrick to help a high school, Allyson Felix to coach the Special Olympics are both great. So if these are fulfilled then the marketing tie in did some good.
Invoking the power of Kobe, I’m adding a few more challenges to the list. Feel free to steal these, Mr. Bryant.
@mrsbutterworth I challenge you to make a full-flavored syrup free of high fructose corn syrup while retaining a good price point for the consumer #mambamentality
@mario I challenge you to actually help your city with your plumbing skills instead of running off into your fantasy mushroom kingdom #mambamentality
@jimmyfallon I challenge you to make it through your monologue without laughing at one of your own jokes #mambamentality
@jonsnow I challenge you to return to winterfell before the fallout between your sisters causes strife for the north #mambamentality
@garfield I challenge you to attack mondays instead of being upset and eating lasagna all day #mambamentality
These should do for now.
