Dwyane Wade Speaks Out on Mamba Sports Academy Removing Kobe Bryant’s Nickname

Robert Marvi
1 Min Read

Earlier this week, the Mamba Sports Academy, which was started by the late Kobe Bryant, dropped the “Mamba” from its name upon request from Bryant’s estate.

The move was reportedly made out of respect for the Los Angeles Lakers legend.

However, fellow NBA legend Dwyane Wade doesn’t agree with the name change, and his reasoning is simple.

Dwyane Wade Mamba Sports Academy

Wade may have a point, as there are many institutions and foundations that bear the name of a deceased person.

In the days and weeks following Bryant’s tragic death in a helicopter crash, there were many discussions about how to properly honor him posthumously.

The NBA decided to name the All-Star Game MVP award after the Lower Merion, Pa. native, as well as revamp the format of its midseason classic.

The Sports Academy was originally founded in 2016. Two years later, Bryant got involved, which led to the word “Mamba” being added to its name.

It has two locations in Thousand Oaks and Redondo Beach, Calif., and its main focus has been to help children reach their full potential as both athletes and people.

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Robert is a native of Santa Monica, Calif., and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been an avid NBA fan since he was a little kid in the mid '90s and fell in love with the Nick Van Exel-led Lakers teams. He truly cherishes the Kobe Bryant-era of Lakers basketball and the five world championships that came with it, and is looking forward to the team's next NBA title.