Kobe Bryant bronze statue: Lakers, Vanessa Bryant announce unveiling ceremony date for early 2024
LOS ANGELES - On Thursday morning, Vanessa Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers announced a bronze statue honoring the iconic Kobe Bryant will be unveiled outside the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles in early 2024.
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The announcement comes on Kobe Bryant Day 2023, also known as Mamba Day. The unveiling ceremony is set to take place on February 8, 2024, which commemorates two late members of the Bryant family. The day, 2/8/24, will honor Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gigi. Kobe wore two jersey numbers, No. 8 and No. 24, during his 20-year NBA career with the Purple and Gold. His second-oldest daughter, Gigi, who was determined to carry his basketball legacy, wore No. 2.
Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna Bryant attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks at Staples Center on December 29, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) (Getty Images)
"As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker," Vanessa Bryant said in a social media video posted by the Lakers. "Since arriving in the city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here playing in the City of Angels."
(Getty Images)
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She continued to say, "On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I’m so honored that right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as "The House that Kobe Built," we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever. Hope to see you there."
Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates victory with his family following Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic at Amway Arena on June 14, 2009 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
Other Los Angeles sports legends with statues outside the Crypto.com Arena include Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wayne Gretzky, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O'Neal, and Chick Hearn.