Bryant, Adidas end sponsorship deal

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Kobe Bryant and Adidas decided on Monday not to exercise a two-year extension to their sponsorship deal, leaving the Los Angeles Lakers guard without a shoe endorsement.

A joint statement issued by Bryant and Adidas gave no reason for the end of the deal.

Sources within adidas say that Kobe was unhappy with his current image and was looking to be portrayed as more of a "punk ass bitch".