The Los Angeles Lakers revealed a statue honoring Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant in a private ceremony on Friday. This marks the second of three statues outside the Crypto.com arena dedicated to Kobe by the Lakers.
The statue is a tribute to a moment captured when Kobe and Gianna, along with seven others, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash in January 2020. The statue depicts them sitting court-side at a Lakers-Dallas Mavericks game in 2019, with angel wings behind them and surrounded by flowers. A plaque with the Mambacita logo describes Gianna as an “inspirational icon for girls in sports” and Kobe as a “proud supporter of women in sports.”
The statue also features a quote from Kobe, known as the ‘Most Valuable Girl Dad,’ where he praises Gianna’s talent and expresses his pride in being a father to girls.
This statue follows the unveiling of Kobe’s first statue on Feb. 8, 2024, celebrating his historic 81-point game. The date of this unveiling, Aug. 2, 2024, pays tribute to Kobe and Gianna’s jersey numbers.
The basketball community, including standout player Candace Parker, has celebrated the new statue. Parker, who recently retired with an impressive career, shared her reaction on Instagram.
Parker expressed her joy at seeing the statue of Kobe and Gigi and emphasized Kobe’s pride in his daughters, showcasing him as the ultimate girl dad.
This statue honors both Kobe and Gianna’s contributions to women’s sports, reflecting the impact they had. Vanessa Bryant continues this legacy through the Mamba and Mambacita foundation, supporting sports participation for underserved children.
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