In January 2020, NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash. His daughter Gianna and several others lost their lives that day. It was a tragic loss for the Bryant family, the Laker nations, and the NBA as a whole. Kobe was still so young when he passed and had so much more to give to the game of basketball.
It’s been four years since his passing and it doesn’t get any easier for his widow Vanessa or anyone who was close to Kobe. Last night, the Lakers immortalized Bryant with a 19-foot statue outside of their downtown arena. Bryant himself chose what pose he wanted to use for his statue. He chose his iconic pose holding up one finger when he scored 81 points vs. the Raptors in 2006. Additionally, there will be two other statues. His main statue is Kobe wearing his #8 jersey, the second is him in #24, and the final will be Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
Kobe Bryant had his statue unveiled last night for the entire world to see
🚨 KOBE’s 8 STATUE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/FpVOaWGqAg
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 9, 2024
Before their game vs. the Nuggets last night, the Lakers unveiled Kobe Bryant’s 19-foot, 4,000-pound statue. It depicts Kobe Bryant walking off the court and pointing to the sky after scoring 81 points. The incredible bronze statue is surrounded by five replica Larry O’Brien trophies. An ode to the five championships Kobe won in his 20 seasons with Los Angeles. Additionally, the statue sits on a black triangle. That honors his legendary head coach Phil Jackson and assistant Tex Winters for their triangle offense.
On the side of the trophy, Vanessa Bryant added a QR code that will direct people to a Kobe Bryant highlight video. It’s narrated by Denzel Washington. Bryant is one of the greatest players in NBA history and this statue is just one way his legacy can be remembered forever. Generations to come will know who Kobe Bryant was and just how much he meant to the game of basketball.
KOBE’S STATUE REVEALED 💜💛
1 of 3 statues outside of “The House that Kobe built”
(via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/WFGwaYOuUy
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2024
Two more statues will be unveiled at a later date that has not been set yet. Bryant is the sixth player in Lakers history to be honored with a statue. He now joins Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor. The legacy of Kobe Bryant will live on forever. Bryant has inspired countless players around the world to want to be the next “Black Mamba”.
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