The Los Angeles Lakers made sure Kobe Bryant remained iconic after his death, as the legendary basketball player got not one, but three, statues.
The NBA team previously announced they will honor the late shooting guard with a bronze statue outside Crypto.com Arena. Many flocked to witness the unveiling ceremony on Thursday, only to be surprised by news of two more statues on the way.
Lakers To Immortalize Kobe & Gianna Bryant With ‘2-8-24’ Statue
News of the three Kobe statues broke during a private unveiling ceremony outside the Crypto.com Arena. As noted, several sports stars attended the monumental event, including Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and former head coach Phil Jackson.
Pau Gasol, Norm Nixon, Michael Cooper, and Robert Horry were also present. Among these guests, Abdul-Jabbar, Jackson, controlling Lakers owner Jeanie Buss, and former Laker Derek Fisher spoke at the event, sharing sweet words about Kobe’s legacy.
However, the highlight of the night was Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, who delivered a heartfelt speech about her late husband and plans to perpetuate his legacy with three statues. He said:
“As I watch today’s generation of superstars follow in Kobe’s footsteps with big scoring games, I know he would be proud to know that he still pours inspiration into a game that is so special to him.”
Statue of Kobe Bryant (first) walking out of an 81-point game. pic.twitter.com/9bQiTVhkxE
— Kobe Highlights & Motivation (@kobehighlight) February 9, 2024
Vanessa continued, saying, “I leave you with one of my husband’s amazing quotes: ‘Leave the game better than you found it, and when it’s time to go, leave a legend.’ And that’s what he did.”
On cue, the first Kobe statue was lowered from behind a golden curtain with flying confetti. The bronze figure shows the late 41-year-old in the white uniform of No. 8 Lakers. His right index finger is pointed in the air, referencing his moment of celebration after scoring 81 points in a 2006 game against the Toronto Raptors.
The base of the statue features a triangle in homage to the triangle offense that Kobe perfected under Jackson and assistant coach Tex Winter. As for the other two statues, the next tribute will feature the 41-year-old in jersey No. 24, and the third will be a tribute to the late Bryants.
At first it was believed that Gianna would not receive the statue; however, the late aspiring basketball player will be honored alongside his father in a third statue. Although fans were unable to take part in the private unveiling ceremony, Reuters said they could visit the first statue of Kobe starting Friday morning.
Lakers Honor Kobe Bryant By Wearing ‘Black Mamba’ Uniforms
In case fans missed it, Kobe’s unveiling ceremony is scheduled for an important date, “2-8-24.” This symbolic number pays homage to jersey No. 8 and No. 24 worn by the late shooting guard during his illustrious career, while the No. 2 is the jersey number of his deceased daughter Gianna.
MEGA
In addition to honoring father and daughter on this special date, the Lakers donned Kobe-inspired “Black Mamba” uniforms for their highly anticipated game against the Denver Nuggets. Kobe helped design this jersey to live up to his nickname “Black Mamba”.
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 isn’t the only amazing thing Kobe has accomplished in his more than decade-long career with the Lakers. His accomplishments include five NBA championships, being a two-time Finals MVP, and an 18-time All-Star. Thanks to his impressive record, he retired in 2016 as one of the best basketball players in NBA history.
Even after his death, Kobe continued to succeed 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.
His statue is another posthumous achievement. Kobe will become 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.
Additionally, the NBA icon’s fortunes continue to grow in his absence. In July 2023, 2K Games unveiled Kobe as the cover of the 25th anniversary edition of their NBA video game. This means they have to pay Kobe Bryant’s estate to use his image.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
