Vanessa Bryant shares touching message, throwback pics of Kobe Bryant on his 45th birthday

Vanessa Bryant is taking a trip down memory lane for what would have been her late husband and NBA legend Kobe Bryant's 45th birthday.

In an Aug. 23 Instagram post, the 41-year-old shared several throwback pictures of her and the former Los Angeles Lakers guard over the years.

"Happy birthday, baby. I love you always & forever," she captioned the post, adding a red heart emoji and the hashtag #82378.

In the first photo, as well as in several others, Vanessa Bryant is kissing the basketball player, known as the "Black Mamba," on the cheek as he flashes a big smile.

Vanessa Bryant also showed a few shots of them posing together on the red carpet.

Another two shots show them at the 2018 Academy Awards, when Kobe Bryant won an Oscar for best animated short film for "Dear Basketball."

Vanessa Bryant shared a selfie of them dressed to the nines, while another shows the couple admiring Kobe Bryant's new hardware.

In another picture, the couple are smiling together with their arms wrapped around each other. Kobe Bryant was sporting a black T-shirt and silver chain around his neck, while Vanessa Bryant rocked a beige fedora, cross necklace, hoop earrings and a white tank top with a cropped gray sweater.

Kobe and Vanessa Bryant tied the knot in 2001. They shared four daughters: Natalia, 20; Gianna, who died at age 13 in a helicopter crash with her father and seven others in 2020; Bianka, 6; and Capri, 4.

In honor of her husband's birthday, Vanessa Bryant paired up with Nike to launch a new shoe: the Kobe 8 Protro Halo.

Here's what to know about the new release.

What's new about the Kobe 8 Protro Halo?

As the newest addition to Nike's Protro lineup, Vanessa Bryant designed the triple-white color pattern to pay homage to late husband Kobe Bryant.

From this point forward, the Halo concept will be released annually for Kobe Bryant's birthday, according to a press release.

What's special about the Nike shoe's design?

The Kobe 8 Protro has a similar look to the existing shoes in the Protro line, but has some notable differences like the embroidered Nike swoosh and the embroidered Mamba logo on the tongue.

The shoe also features Nike React foam and an updated herringbone traction pattern, the press release read, for a strong grip.

When was the Nike Kobe 8 shoe first launched?

According to Nike, the brand's Kobe 8 initially came out in 2012 and was featured in the Prelude Pack in 2014 and the Fade to Black Collection in 2016.

"At the time of its release, the silhouette was the lightest in the Kobe line, following Kobe’s desire for a shoe that was like an extension of his foot," the release read. "The graphics on the upper played further into Kobe’s 'Black Mamba' identity."

When will the Kobe 8 Protro Halo be available?

The Nike Kobe 8 Protro Halo hit the market Wednesday, Aug. 23, in honor of Kobe Bryant's birthday on SNKRS and at select global retailers, the brand announced.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com