LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Lakers have announced plans to honor Kobe Bryant, the 18-time NBA All-Star guard who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January 2020, with a bronze statue. The statue will be unveiled in a ceremony on February 8, 2024, before the Lakers’ game against the Denver Nuggets. This date holds significance as it combines Bryant’s jersey numbers, 2 and 8, with his daughter Gianna’s number, 24, who also perished in the crash.
The bronze statue of Bryant will join the statues of other Lakers legends, such as Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, and Chick Hearn, outside the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles.
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss expressed her admiration for Bryant, stating, “Kobe Bryant was an extraordinary athlete and an iconic figure in Los Angeles history. It is fitting to honor him with a statue in the heart of our city, where everyone can celebrate his incredible achievements and be inspired by his legacy.”
Kobe Bryant, a renowned player who spent his entire 20-year career with the Lakers, winning five championships, holds various records for the franchise, including most games played and most points scored. His career highlights include scoring 81 points in a single game and achieving 60 points in his final game. Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka, who was also Bryant’s agent, expressed that the statue will provide a physical presence to honor Bryant’s legacy.
The Lakers, alongside Vanessa Bryant, Kobe Bryant’s widow, stated that the bronze statue, created by sculptor Julie Rotblatt Amrany, will be the first of many tributes to celebrate Bryant’s legacy. Following his tragic passing, numerous murals and makeshift memorials were created throughout Los Angeles to honor Bryant and his daughter.
Vanessa Bryant expressed her honor and gratitude for the statue, remarking, “I am so honored that Kobe will be forever celebrated with a statue in front of the place known as ‘The house that Kobe built’ in the center of Los Angeles.”
The Lakers previously retired Bryant’s No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys and held a memorial service in his honor. He was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in May 2021.
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