The statue was unveiled on 8/2/24, a nod to both Kobe and Gigi’s jersey numbers!
Last week, the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a new statue outside the Crypto.com arena in honor of the late Kobe and Gianna Bryant, NBC Los Angeles reports. The father-daughter duo were among nine tragically killed in a helicopter crash in January 2020. The second of three planned statues to be erected in Kobe’s honor was unveiled on 8/2/24, a nod to the jersey numbers they wore, 8 and 24 for Kobe and 2 for Gigi.
The statue depicts Kobe and his daughter Gigi courtside, his wife Vanessa Bryant explaining the significance of the statue’s details at the unveiling ceremony.
“We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi. Gianna has her gorgeous smile on her face and Kobe is kissing the top of her head while wearing the Philadelphia Eagles beanie that Gigi gifted him for Christmas. He’s also wearing a WNBA hoodie he wore courtside to the game with Gigi. Kobe was the first NBA player to wear that orange hoodie to a big game, and that was to show his support for Gigi’s dreams and for women across all sports.”
Bryant explained that Kobe was acutely aware of the limitations Gianna would face as a woman athlete, even if he trained her in his footsteps to be a world-class athlete. That piercing reality led him to what would be his final movement, amplifying women in sports in an effort to create a brighter future for Gianna.
“We were faced with the harsh reality that no matter how great Gianna was or could be, no matter how great her daddy taught her how to play, or even if she played exactly like Kobe, she would not have had the same benefits and opportunities that her dad and young men currently have because she’s a girl. That’s when the challenge to change the perception of women’s sports started in our household. Gianna would be going into her first year of college this year. We would be watching her shine on the court. Now her spirit is shining a path she has created for young girls and for women in sports,” explained Vanessa Bryant.
She took the moment to advocate for more support in women’s sports, urging people to watch the games on television, purchase tickets to see them in person, and expose young girls to women’s sports so they can see what’s possible.
“In honor of Kobe and Gigi, I ask you this: Give young girls your time. Give them your support. Tell them they can do anything any man can do, and tell them they can exceed that. Because they can, they have, and they will. Iron sharpens iron. Reassure that confidence and see how much they thrive. Sometimes, all we need is one person to believe in us, even if that one person is ourselves,” said Bryant.
The statue of Kobe and Gigi is currently on display to the public.
Cover photo: Vanessa Bryant Makes Emotional Call for Support of Women’s Sports at Unveiling of New Kobe & Gigi Statue/Photo credit: @VanessaBryant/Instagram