The Los Angeles Lakers will honor the late legend Kobe Bryant with a statue in front of the arena where he devoted his entire career.
The Los Angeles Lakers team’s leadership has planned to honor Kobe Bryant with a statue that will be inaugurated on February 8, 2024 at Staples Center.
The date the statue was unveiled is associated with the jersey numbers of “Black Mamba”‘s 20-year career (number 8, number 24). At the same time, number 2 is also the number on her daughter Gianna’s jersey when she was alive. Kobe and his daughter Gianna died in a tragic helicopter crash in January 2020 in Calabasas, California.
The late legend’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, announced that the statue will be unveiled at Star Plaza outside the stadium before the Lakers’ match against the Denver Nuggets in the NBA tournament. He is the sixth former Lakers player to be honored with a statue at the Lakers’ home court since 1999.
Vanessa Bryant said in a video sent to fans posted at 8:24 a.m. the same day: “As you know, Kobe spent all 20 years of his NBA career with the Lakers. On behalf of my family and Lakers fans, I am honored to announce that, right in the heart of Los Angeles, we will unveil his statue so that his legacy can be kept alive and celebrated. forever.”
In addition to permanently hanging shirts, the statue erection activity is carried out by football teams to honor the greatest individuals in the club’s history. This is also the most prestigious form of gratitude any player or individual can receive.
It is known that Kobe Bryant himself during his lifetime participated in the plan to erect a statue with the club’s leadership. However, the helicopter tragedy took this player’s life.
The statue was completed by the hands of famous sculptor Julie Rotblatt Amrany of the Rotblatt Amrany Fine Arts Studio.
The inauguration ceremony on February 8, 2024 will take place outside the Crypto.com Arena. Further details will be announced in the coming months.
Known for his slogan “Mamba Mentality”, Kobe Bryant helped the Lakers win 5 NBA titles and was named MVP in the Finals in 2009 and 2010. To this day, Kobe is still the record-setter. Most points in a game since the modern basketball era when “shooting” 81 points against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006. The Lakers have now retired Bryant’s number 8 and number 24 jerseys forever.
