Nike ad campaign nicknamed Michael Jordan the 'Black Mamba' years before Kobe Bryant adopted the persona

Roughly halfway through his Hall of Fame career, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant adopted one of the most iconic nicknames in NBA history. Bryant started referring to himself as the “Black Mamba.” The nickname stuck, reaching a point where Bryant’s final words as a Lakers player were “Mamba out,” and the whole world knew what he meant. But that pairing nearly never happened. Years prior to Bryant announcing himself as the “Black Mamba,” Nike had other plans, ones that would have resulted in Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan going down in history as the “Black Mamba.” Advertisement Advertisement It…