As a basketball player, Kobe Bryant<\/a> is synonymous with Los Angeles and the L.A. Lakers. As a pop culture icon and innovator, Kobe\u2019s global reach not only rings in the hearts of hoopers playing on outdoor courts in the Philippines but also in the soles of the shoes sold at shops in New Jersey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These three Kobe fans and sneaker collectors have different memories of what it feels like to step into the shoes of the Black Mamba\u2019s superhero-like status. Whether it was watching Kobe ball out in Manila during an Adidas tour or being packed like sardines in a car for a week just for the chance to buy a pair of his signature sneakers, each shared what made them devotees to the legend and his products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, we talked to Mark (@hyperdunks24<\/a>), Darryl (@brotha_d<\/a>) and Jamaal (@maallymall<\/a>) to learn about building their collections, the rarest pairs they own, and what ultimately drew them to being Kobe fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mark<\/strong>: I grew up in the Philippines and just moved here to the US for college. So in 1998, while I was waiting for my papers to come in, Kobe actually went to the Philippines for an Adidas tour. I was always a Lakers fan, but more of an Eddie Jones kind of guy. And then I see this kid doing the fadeaways and stuff on the court. Kobe was really nice to the [local team], which was really awesome. So that’s kind of how it started.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen did the Kobe fandom start for you?<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n