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LOS ANGELES – The date is 2-8-24, numbers synonymous with the Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. It’s fitting that the team decided to unveil Bryant’s statue on this date.
Or should we say, statues.
Bryant’s widow. Vanessa revealed Thursday night that the five-time NBA champion would have three statues. The first, released before the Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets, shows Bryant wearing the No. 8 jersey. in a pose from his 81 point gamea pose Vanessa said she chose.
The second will be that of Kobe and his daughter Gianna, who died with her father and seven other people in a helicopter accident on January 26, 2020.
And the third will be Kobe with jersey number 24.
The Bryant statue is located in Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena and Vanessa said all three would be there, although no timeline was given as to when the remaining bronze images would be revealed.
Bryant is the seventh Lakers icon commemorated with a statue. He joins Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn.
“The statue is a wonderful contradiction. It captures a person frozen in time. At the same time, it recognizes that the reason there is a statue is because that person is timeless,” Abdul-Jabbar said Thursday. “We are all here to honor a man who represents not only extraordinary sporting achievements, but also timeless values that inspire us all to try harder to not only be better, but also give our best.”
FURTHER: Kobe Bryant’s legacy continues to grow four years after his death
Black Mamba Uniforms
In addition to the statue unveiling, the Lakers will wear Kobe-inspired Black Mamba uniforms in Thursday’s game against the Nuggets.
Bryant helped design the “Black Mamba” uniform. Features a black snakeskin-themed print and drop shadows on the jersey numbers. The uniform also has “LA 24” on the belt and Bryant’s numbers 8 and 24 under the flap of each leg of the shorts.
Kobe Bryant’s lasting legacy
Bryant won five NBA championships, was a two-time Finals MVP and an 18-time All-Star, all as a member of the Lakers. He retired in 2016 as one of the greatest basketball players in NBA history.
Bryant was posthumously elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and was named a member of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
“Kobe had so many people supporting him all over the world from the beginning. “This moment is not just for Kobe, but for all of you who have supported him all these years,” Vanessa Bryant said Thursday.
“For the fans here in Los Angeles, this is a special city that Kobe was very proud to represent. “You welcomed him with open arms and you have been very important to him, our family and his legacy.”
Follow Tyler Dragon on social media @ElTylerDragon
