Kobe, Gianna Bryant’s legacy to live on through the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation
LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant’s Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation will be receiving the ticket sales proceeds from the NBA legend’s memorial service on Monday. But what exactly does the nonprofit do?
The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation is the charitable organization linked to Kobe Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy. The nonprofit aims to make a "positive impact through sports" on underserved communities according to its official website.
Last week, the organization changed its name to also honor the former Laker legend’s 13-year-old daughter, Gianna "Gigi" Bryant, who died alongside her father and seven other people in a helicopter crash last month.
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"Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation," Vanessa Bryant wrote on Instagram.
In addition to offering sports training services to underprivileged athletes, the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation also provides equal opportunities to young women in sports.
Gianna Bryant was a talented athlete who many predicted would carry out her father’s legacy someday as a professional women’s basketball player.
"He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
Since its founding in 2018, the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation has played a significant role in the community partnering with veterans foundations, providing wildfire relief and hosting training camps for young athletes with pro NFL players.
Over 9,800 youths, 472 veterans and more than 1,000 volunteers have been impacted by the work of the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, according to its website.
The organization said it has no plans of slowing down and will continue to carry out Kobe and Gianna Bryant’s legacy through "charitable endeavors in sports."
"Through the shared values of attention to detail, relentless pursuit of passions, and dedication to excellence, we remain committed to honoring Kobe’s mission of inspiring the next generation of leaders in the world of sports and beyond," the website reads.