The Los Angeles Lakers are paying tribute to basketball legend Kobe Bryant, and they couldn’t have picked a better day to do it.
The NBA team will honor the late icon with a bronze statue this Thursday before a highly anticipated game against the Denver Nuggets. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m., with the team dressed in Kobe-inspired uniforms.
Lakers Pay Tribute To Kobe Bryant & His Late Daughter Gianna
It’s been four years since Kobe and his daughter Gianna were tragically killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Even so, the memories of both of them remain alive in the hearts of basketball lovers around the world.
This is why the Lakers chose an appropriate date to unveil the statue, because today, “2-8-24” honors the late basketball player. The numbers 8 and 24 are synonymous with the jersey that Kobe rocked when he was with the Lakers.
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Although Gianna won’t get a statue of her dad, the number 2 is a tribute to her jersey as a basketball player on the rise. Hopefully, he will be remembered every time people see Kobe’s statue in the Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena.
In addition to the statue tribute, the Lakers will wear Kobe-inspired Black Mamba uniforms for their game against the Nuggets. The late NBA superstar helped design the jersey to live up to his “Black Mamba” nickname.
The uniform features a black snakeskin themed print and drop shadows on the jersey number. This design also has “LA 24” on the belt and No. 8 and 24 Kobe under the flap of each leg of the shorts.
Creating this unique design is one of Kobe’s many accomplishments in his life, including five NBA championships, two-time Finals MVP and being an 18-time All-Star. Thanks to his impressive career, he retired in 2016 as one of the best basketball players in NBA history.
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Even after his death, the Philadelphia native continued to be successful and was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. He was also named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
The Kobe statue is another posthumous achievement. Per USA Todayhe will be the seventh Lakers legend to be honored with the honor after icons such as Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Chick Hearn.
Kobe Bryant Earned More Money After His Death
Kobe’s investments during his lifetime continue to pay off after his death. He reportedly earned over $320 million thanks to his NBA career, smart investments, endorsements and other deals.
As a basketball player, Kobe has endorsed more than 20 brands, including famous names such as Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz and Hublot. This partnership allegedly brings in $25-30 million a year.
Instead of spending it all, the Philadelphia native grew his finances by investing in different businesses. His ventures include sports drink BodyArmor and startups such as Art of Sport and HouseCanary.
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Kobe also has a $100 million venture capital fund with partners like Jeff Stibel, Peyton Manning and Steph Curry. Outside of the sector, he made waves as a publisher of young adult books and became the first pro athlete to win an Academy Award in 2018.
He bagged the prestigious trophy thanks to his animated short film “Dear Basketball.” At just 41 years old, Kobe has an estimated fortune of $600 million, more than most athletes.
Although he was no longer here to cash out, his wealth grew after his death. In July 2023, 2K Games unveiled Kobe as the cover of the 25th anniversary edition of their NBA video game. This means they had to pay Kobe Bryant’s estate to use his face.
Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, also added to their fortune by relaunching the famous Nike shoes. Details of the deal are under wraps, but it could bring him more than the $10 million the late athlete receives over his lifetime.
His posthumous fortune increased when Coca-Cola bought the sports drink brand BodyArmor. Kobe reportedly invested $6 million in the business in 2013 but got a big payout when Coke spent around $5.6 billion to acquire it in 2021.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
