Los Angeles Lakers to Unveil Kobe Bryant Statue in Tribute to His Legacy

The Los Angeles Lakers organization is set to honor the legendary Kobe Bryant by unveiling a statue in his tribute outside of Crypto.com Arena on February 8. Bryant, along with his daughter Gianna, tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, in Calabasas, California. The unveiling ceremony will take place at Star Plaza and will join the statues of other iconic Lakers players, including Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Chick Hearn.

Kobe Bryant, who was only 41 years old at the time of his death, left behind an enduring legacy. He was posthumously inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and is remembered not only by the Lakers but also by the NBA and WNBA, both of which have awards named in his honor. Additionally, Bryant’s influence continues through the Mamba and Mambacita Foundation.

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, expressed her gratitude, stating, “On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever.”

The significance of the date chosen for the statue’s unveiling, 2/8/24, lies with the jersey numbers Bryant wore during his illustrious career with the Lakers – 8 and 24. The unveiling ceremony will also pay tribute to Bryant’s achievements and impact both on and off the court.

Kobe Bryant’s memory has been perpetuated in various ways since his untimely demise. Firstly, the NBA renamed the All-Star MVP trophy after him in 2020, with subsequent winners including Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Steph Curry, and Jayson Tatum. Tatum expressed his profound gratitude for receiving the award, especially as Bryant was someone he idolized and looked up to.

Furthermore, Vanessa Bryant reached a settlement of $28.85 million with Los Angeles County to end her legal battle over the unauthorized dissemination of graphic photos of her late husband and daughter after the crash. Vanessa has also taken strides to continue Kobe’s advocacy work through the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. Notably, she partnered with the Boys and Girls Club to host the inaugural Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation basketball camp for young athletes.

Recognizing Kobe Bryant’s dedication to women’s basketball, the WNBA introduced the Kobe and Gigi Bryant Advocacy Award in 2022. Chris Paul and Pau Gasol, Bryant’s former Lakers teammate, were the first recipients of the prestigious award. Gasol has been actively involved in supporting women in sports and advocating for women’s coaching opportunities in the NBA.

Nike, one of Kobe Bryant’s long-standing partners, continued releasing his signature shoes, with recent releases including the Kobe 6 Protro Reverse Grinch. On Kobe’s statue unveiling day, Feb 8th, Nike is set to launch the Kobe 8 Protro Radiant Emerald and Kobe 8 Protro Color Purple. Additionally, several universities, such as UConn, Southern California, Kentucky, Oregon, Duke, and LSU, have partnered with the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and will don Kobe and Gigi sneakers this season.

In recognition of his significant contributions, Kobe Bryant was recently inducted into the inaugural Orange County Hall of Fame alongside notable Southern California figures like Walt Disney, Gwen Stefani, Amanda Beard, Greg Louganis, and Tiger Woods.