The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a new statue honoring Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna on Friday outside Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. The statue, the second in Bryant's likeness outside the House That Kobe Built, was revealed in a private tented ceremony and will be available for public viewing this weekend. It depicts Bryant with his arm around Gigi sitting courtside at a Lakers game Dec. 29, 2019.
The unveiling was on a date (8/2/24) of numeric significance for the five-time NBA champion and Gigi, a talented young player often seen courtside with her father at Crypto.com Arena engaged in conversation about the game. Bryant wore 8 during the first part of his career, then switched to jersey No. 24. Gigi wore jersey No. 2.
Vanessa Bryant spoke at the unveiling about the inspiration behind the statue.
"We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi. 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," she said. "He’s also wearing a WNBA hoodie he wore courtside to the game with Gigi. 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. 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.
"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. That’s when the challenge to change the perception of women’s sports started in our household. Gianna 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.
"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.
"Kobe was the ultimate Girl Dad and Gigi was the ultimate Daddy’s girl."
A third Kobe Bryant monument will be unveiled next season.
The date of the first statue unveiling held the same significance -- 2/8/24. The 19-foot bronze memorial depicts Bryant in his No. 8 jersey celebrating his virtuoso 81-point performance against Toronto. Widow Vanessa Bryant said at the February ceremony that the third statue will show Bryant in his No. 24 jersey.
Other Laker greats honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena are Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and announcer Chick Hearn.
Both of Bryant's uniform numbers were retired by the Lakers in 2017, the year after his retirement after 20 NBA season, all with the Lakers. He is the first NBA player with two numbers retired by the same team.
Bryant is the franchise leader in games (1,346), minutes played (48,637), field goals (11,719) and 3-point baskets (1,827), among numerous team records.
The new statue is the second of three that will honor the late NBA great.
The new statue recreates a moment from Dec. 29, 2019, when Kobe and Gigi sat courtside for Lakers home game. (Courtesy of the Lakers)
The statue, which is on display outside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, features Kobe Bryant and Gianna embracing.
The bronze statue recognizes his unwavering pride in being a “Girl Dad” and the Bryant family’s support for women and girls in sports. The tribute represents Kobe and Gianna’s exceptional basketball legacy and the uplifting relationship Kobe shared with all four of his daughters.
Vanessa Bryant shared a few words about what the statue entails.
"We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi. 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. He's also wearing a WNBA hoodie he wore courtside to the game with Gigi."
"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."
"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."
"Now her spirit is shining a path she has created for young girls and for women in sports."
The statue includes a plaque with the words, "Gianna Bryant, Inspirational Icon for Girls in Sports," and "Kobe Bryant, Proud Supporter of Women in Sports." It also includes a memorable quote from Kobe Bryant, in which he once said, "Gianna is a beast. She's better than I was at her age. She's got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I'm a girl dad."
In February, the first statue of Kobe Bryant wearing the number 8 Lakers jersey was revealed during a ceremony at the Crypto.com arena, with many basketball legends in attendance.
Kobe Bryant and Gianna died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. They were among nine people who died in the crash in Southern California while en route to Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy.
Since then, Vanessa Bryant, who also shares daughters Natalia Bryant, 20, Bianka, 6, and Capri, 3, with Bryant, has honored her husband and daughter in many ways.
In a private ceremony Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled the second of three statues dedicated to Kobe Bryant outside Crypto.com Arena, showing the Laker star with his daughter Gianna.
The statue depicts the two sitting courtside at a Laker game at the arena in December 2019, less than a month before their deaths. The statue shows Kobe and Gigi sitting in the seats, with Kobe's arm wrapped around his daughter, kissing her head. Kobe and Gigi are wrapped in angel wings. The statue is also surrounded by a garden of purple and gold flowers.
The plaque in front of the statue refers to Kobe as the "Most Valuable Girl Dad," along with a quote from Kobe: "Gianna is a beast," the plaque reads. "She's better than I was at her age. She's got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I'm a girl dad."
The plaque also refers to Gianna as an "inspirational icon for girls in sports."
The second statue honoring Kobe Bryant and outside Crypto.com Arena showing him sitting courtside with his daughter, Gianna Bryant. (Credit: Los Angeles Lakers)
Friday's date, 8/2/24, holds significance for both Kobe and Gigi. Kobe wore both 8 and 24 throughout his 20 seasons with the Lakers, while Gigi's jersey number was 2. The first statue honoring Kobe was unveiled on a similar date — 2/8/24.
Kobe's wife Vanessa Bryant announced at that first unveiling ceremony that Kobe would have three statues in front of the arena. The third statue is expected to be unveiled sometime next season.
Kobe and Gigi Bryant were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on January 26, 2020.
The statue will be open and available for public viewing starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3.
