Celebrating Kobe Bryant: Family members post heartfelt tributes on Laker legend’s heavenly 44th birthday

LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant's family posted heartwarming tributes on social media Tuesday to celebrate the life and legacy of the NBA icon on what would have been his 44th birthday.

(Getty Images)

Known for his "Mamba Mentality," Bryant’s endless NBA accolades include five NBA championships in his 20-year career, two Olympic gold medals, and 18 All-Star game appearances. In addition, he was a philanthropist and granted wishes for hundreds of children for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, donated to the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and held numerous camps for athletes in underserved communities. 

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Gone, but not forgotten, his wife, oldest daughter, and sister posted heartfelt tributes to Instagram to remember his special day.

Vanessa Bryant

"Happy birthday, baby! I love you and miss you so much! #44," she wrote on Instagram.

Credit: Instagram/Vanessa Bryant

Natalia Bryant

Kobe and Vanessa’s 19-year-old daughter shared a throwback picture of the two of them with the caption "Happy Birthday Daddy."

Sharia Washington

Kobe Bryant’s big sister, Sharia, shared images of the two of them through the years and used one of his famous quotes to commemorate him.

While his life and legacy are to be celebrated, his wife Vanessa Bryant is spending the day in a Los Angeles courtroom for a trial in a lawsuit against LA County involving gruesome images that were shared of Kobe and their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, at the helicopter crash site in Calabasas.