One of the most legendary Los Angeles Lakers in history, whose life was ended tragically early, was celebrated on Friday with a special new statue.
Former L.A. shooting guard Kobe Bryant, an 18-time All-Star and five-time champion who played all of his 20 pro seasons with the Lakers, was realized in bronze for the second of three tribute sculptures. This latest one didn't just immortalize the 6-foot-6 swingman. It also paid tribute to his daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant. Kobe and Gianna Bryant died tragically in a January 2020 Calabasas helicopter accident. All nine people aboard perished in the crash that day.
Read More: Lakers Honor Kobe, Gianna Bryant With New Statue
This fresh statue depicts both Kobe and Gianna Bryant the way they looked at the last Lakers game they both attended courtside, a December 29, 2019 win over the Dallas Mavericks.
Los Angeles revealed in a team press statement that Vanessa Bryant, mother to Gianna and widow to Kobe, spoke at a ceremony unveiling the display of the statue on Friday, according Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
"We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi," Vanessa Bryant said. "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 [Kobe hails from Lower Merion, Philadelphia]. He's also wearing a WNBA hoodie he wore courtside to the game with Gigi."
Bryant was photographed kissing his daughter's head at another game.
"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 continued. "That was a moment he shared with Gigi that will always be a powerful representation of the movement towards equality that was always so important to our family."
To further hammer home this thesis, a plaque labeling Bryant as a "Most Valuable Girl Dad" and featuring a touching quote on his daughter's basketball aptitude will accompany the statue forever.
Here’s a close-up of the base of the statue: https://t.co/uwfKQDujLh pic.twitter.com/HH9DNMyFUs
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) August 2, 2024
"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," Vanessa Bryant noted.
Vanessa Bryant pivoted, broadening her speech to address parents of girls everywhere. She clearly feels strongly about pushing for more support and passionate for girls' and women's athletics, for broader gender equality in sports.
"That's when the challenge to change the perception of women's sports started in our household. Giannia 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," Bryant added. "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. Take girls to watch women play sports. Buy those tickets to the game if you can. Watch women's games on TV with your daughters, nieces and cousins. If young girls can see professional women play, they know they have the potential to be them. They know those ambitions aren't just dreams but will become a reality. Let's build up the next generation of athletes. It's what Gigi and Kobe would want us to do."
Buha also shared a picture of Vanessa Bryant and her three surviving daughters in front of the statue at the event.
The Bryant family in front of the statue: https://t.co/uwfKQDujLh pic.twitter.com/NSawvq92hH
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) August 2, 2024
Kobe Bryant's achievements on the hardwood are legendary. Across 1,346 career regular season games, Bryant averaged 25.0 points on a .447/.329/.837 slash line, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 assists and 0.5 steals a night. He won the 2008 MVP and finished among the top five of vote recipients 11 times. He was the best or second-best player on five championship squads.
A lethal two-way perimeter player who was just as tough a defender as he was a midrange scorer, Bryant was a 15-time All-NBA Teamer and a 12-time All-Defensive Teamer, whose prolific shooting was so frequent that he was twice the league's leading scorer.
Given the recent explosion in popularity the WNBA has undergone, one can only imagine how special it would have been to witness a Gianna Bryant collegiate and (possibly) pro career — and how much it could have helped to grow the game even further.
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