LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 08: The Los Angeles Lakers unveil a statue honoring the late Kobe Bryant at the Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Kobe Bryant's legacy has been immortalized, this time outside "the House that Kobe Built."
A statue commemorating the late Lakers star was unveiled Thursday outside of the Crypto.com Arena, formerly Staples Center, in downtown Los Angeles.
Thursday held special significance for the unveiling of Bryant's statue, chosen in honor of the numerology associated with the date, 2/8/24.
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Notably, the No. 2 was a tribute to Gianna Bryant's jersey number, while Kobe himself had iconic associations with the numbers 8 and 24 during his illustrious career. Gianna and her father were among nine people killed in a January 2020 helicopter crash in the mountains northwest of Los Angeles.
The group that formed a bond over the sport Bryant loved was on its way to a girls' basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy in Newbury Park.
Bryant has now joined a list of Lakers legends who have a statue on the Star Plaza such as Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jerry West and announcer Chick Hearn.
Public access to the statue will be restricted on Thursday. Fans can visit the Star Plaza state beginning Friday, Feb. 9, when the area will reopen to at 10 a.m. Chick Hearn Court will remain closed to all vehicles through Saturday.
About the Lakers Black Mamba uniforms
The team plans to honor Bryant by wearing their 'Black Mamba' uniforms during the game against the Nuggets.
The black alternate jerseys feature an 'LA 24' on the belt, and Bryant's jersey numbers 8, and 24 on the ends of the shorts. They have a snakeskin black print. The drop shadows on the jersey numbers harken back to the Lakers uniforms during Bryant's rookie season in 1996-1997.
The uniforms debuted in the 2017-2018 season as the team's City Edition uniforms. The Lakers first wore the uniforms on Jan. 26, 2018, then again during the 2020 NBA Playoffs that culminated in the franchise's 17th league title.
Who designed the Kobe Bryant statue?
Playing a pivotal role in the statue's design were Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow, and the Los Angeles Lakers organization showcasing their deep involvement in paying tribute to the basketball legend.
The design for the sculpture was made by duo, Omri Amrany and Julie Roblatt-Amrany, a couple based in Illinois who have sculpted all of the Lakers statues situated outside the Crypto.com Arena.
Bryant retired in 2016 after 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. During those seasons the 'Black Mamba' would accumulate 5 NBA Championships, made 18 NBA All-Star teams, 1 NBA League MVP, 2 NBA Finals MVP, 2 Olympic Gold Medals and made 11 All-NBA First Team appearances.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted Bryant on May 15, 2021. He is the first and only Laker to have two jersey numbers retired and hanging in the rafters of the Crypto.com Arena.
