Marc J. Spears On How Kobe Bryant Convinced Him To Throw His Nice Adidas Sweatsuit In Trash

Spears recalled a time when he traveled to meet Bryant at Lakers practice wearing a pristine, black Adidas sweatsuit. It was a rare find, 3XLT, matching sneakers, perfect fit. Spears was feeling sharp, confident, ready to conduct a high-level interview with the Black Mamba. But Kobe had other plans.

It wasn’t personal — it was about loyalty. Kobe had signed with Nike and didn’t want to be associated, even indirectly, with Adidas. Spears pleaded, even joked, but Kobe stood firm.

Finally, Kobe relented on one condition. And Spears had no chouce but to oblige.

When he got back to his apartment, he dropped the entire sweatsuit down the trash chute while his friend filmed it. The footage went straight to Kobe. The interview went on. That was Bryant, driven, focused, and unwilling to make exceptions even for someone he respected.

It was a moment of humor, humility, and deep respect, a window into Kobe’s relentless nature and how much every detail mattered to him. Even a journalist’s wardrobe had to reflect his standards.

Marc J. Spears Speaks On The Passing Of Kobe Bryant

The death of Kobe Bryant hit the world like a thunderclap, but for veteran journalist Marc J. Spears, it was personal. That weekend, Spears had been planning to email Kobe for a Hall of Fame interview, one of many they’d done over the years, given the mutual respect between the two. But the message was never sent.

On that tragic Sunday morning, Spears opened Twitter and saw the TMZ alert. In Los Angeles, when it’s TMZ, it’s real.

"The weekend that he passed, I was sending him an email that weekend to see if I could get an early Hall of Fame interview from him. I always remember, it was a Sunday morning. Y’all know if it’s on TMZ and it’s LA, it’s real." 

"And I just saw that come over on Twitter. Probably the hardest story I ever had to write in my life, because I got a call from my editor and he’s like, ‘I need a story in 90 minutes on Kobe.’"

"After he passed, I had to immediately, like, your emotions, slip into work mode and write a story about this man’s passing. Hardest story I ever had to write. I ain’t come to peace with it. I don’t think any of y’all have. I don’t know if we ever will." 

"Like, I can’t watch, and I’ve been a part of some of the documentaries done on him, I can’t watch it. He was so amazing. Like, I wish the players could see. I’m not even talking about basketball. What he would do and Draymond does this now, I took Draymond to see Branford Marsalis in concert. Jazz saxophonist."

"One of the greatest in the world. And Draymond grilled Branford afterward about the teamwork between the band. Kobe was doing that. So if Kobe met somebody, they would be all nervous, stuff like that."

"But he would make them relax by knowing who they were, saying their name, and knowing their background. ‘Oh, you’re an expert in this? I’m gonna squeeze this from you and find out what makes you great.’"

"So I really feel like if he was still here, I feel like he’d have been one of the few people on this planet that would have figured out a way to help unite this country."

Spears was stunned. His phone rang. It was his editor, asking for a piece on Kobe within 90 minutes. He had no time to grieve, no space to process. He had to work. It remains the hardest story he’s ever written. And still, years later, he hasn’t found peace. Maybe none of us have.

Spears spoke passionately about Kobe’s brilliance beyond basketball. He remembered taking Draymond Green to a Branford Marsalis concert, a legendary jazz saxophonist, and how Draymond grilled the band afterward about their synergy. Kobe used to do that, too. He studied greatness in every field and extracted lessons from every encounter.

Spears believes that if Kobe were alive today, he would’ve been one of the few capable of uniting a divided America. Not as a politician, not as an athlete, but as a thinker, a student of people, and a relentless seeker of greatness. Kobe’s loss wasn’t just a blow to basketball, it was a blow to humanity’s potential.