The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue honoring Kobe Bryant outside Crypto.com Arena at a ceremony on Thursday. The bronze statue stands 19 feet tall and weighs 4,000 pounds.
Bryant is the seventh Lakers legend to be commemorated with a statue in Starr Plaza, following Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, broadcaster Chick Hearn, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Jerry West.
The disclosure date was important to the numbers of Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, both of whom died in a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on January 26, 2020. Thursday is February 8, 2024 — 8/2/24 — a date that combines the number Bryant's jersey (No. 8 and No. 24) and Gianna's jersey (No. 2) when she played for the Mamba Sports Academy team.
Until its unveiling, the position of Bryant's statue was one of the best-kept secrets in the NBA. This pose represents Bryant's career-high 81 points against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006, with his right arm in the air and his index finger pointing at the fans. The statue is surrounded by five championship trophies, representing the Lakers' five titles in Kobe's career. The base of the statue is engraved with KOBE BEAN BRYANT “Black Mamba” and includes the box score from the 2006 game. The side of the base reads a quote from Kobe that says: “Leave the game better than you found it. And when it's time for you to leave, leave a legend.” According to Vanessa Bryant, Bryant's widow, there will be three statues of Kobe outside Crypto.com Square: one wearing No. 8, one wearing No. 24 and one with Gianna.
Bryant retired in 2016 after 20 seasons with the Lakers. During his Hall of Fame career, he won five championships, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, two Olympic gold medals, made 18 All-Star teams, and was named 11 first-team All-NBA selections. Bryant was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 15, 2021. He is the first and only Laker player to have two jersey numbers retired and hanging from the rafters of Crypto.com Arena.
Laker guard Austin Reeves said the lights shining on Bryant's numbers on the walls inside the Lakers' practice facility are a constant reminder of Bryant's greatness and impact.
“I looked up to Kobe growing up,” Reeves said Monday. “The Lakers were my favorite team, and just being able to wear the same uniform as him and play on the same court in Los Angeles is special. It's something I talked about a lot. Like I said, Kobe was my idol growing up. I wanted to do everything like him.” .
Vanessa Bryant and the Lakers organization collaborated on the design. The statue was made by Illinois-based couple Omri Amrani and Julie Rotblat Amrani, who created all the statues outside of Crypto.com Square.
The ceremony was held under a large white tent due to the weather conditions in Los Angeles. It is closed to the public but will open for public viewing on Friday at 10 a.m. PT.
The Lakers will host the defending champion Denver Nuggets, who swept Los Angeles in the 2023 Western Conference finals, on Thursday evening, in what is considered one of the busiest days on the NBA calendar. Thursday also marked the NBA trade deadline, where the Lakers remained steadfast, prioritizing their quest to acquire a third star via trade in the summer of 2024.
“He meant a lot to me,” Anthony Davis said Monday of Bryant. “I think the big brother, the mentor, started my career with him at the Olympics, being under his wing. He taught me the game, he taught me life and everything. It's going to be…an amazing moment, obviously to see, but I'm kind of reliving it,” he said. “So, I don't know. Emotions will definitely be high for me.”
Los Angeles is honoring Bryant, whose nickname was “Black Mamba,” by wearing a black and gold snakeskin City Edition “Black Mamba” uniform against the Nuggets. The Lakers first wore the uniforms during the 2017-18 season, then again during the 2020 Orlando Bubble. The most iconic moment with the jerseys occurred against Denver when Anthony Davis hit a game-winning 3-pointer in Game 2 of the 2020 Western Conference Finals.
“It's only true,” LeBron James said Monday. “I mean, the guy spent two decades with the organization, won multiple championships, and set a precedent for what it means to strive for excellence. … His accomplishments speak alone. Not just his inspiration, but also how he inspires him on the court and in the community and across the basketball landscape. So, “I think it's a beautiful moment, not only for him, but for his family as well.”
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(Photo by Kobe Bryant: Harry Howe/Getty Images)
