Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant's Handprints and Footprints Unveiled at TCL Chinese Theatre

Bryant became the first athlete to have his imprints enshrined at the iconic theater

NBCUniversal Media, LLC

Kobe Bryant's accomplishments stretched well beyond the basketball court, leaving his fingerprints all over the city of Los Angeles.

His handprints and footprints now will be permanently displayed at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.

Bryant, in 2011, became the first athlete to imprint his hands and feet in cement at the iconic theater. During a ceremony on Wednesday, the theatre honored the late star by enshrining those imprints in the venue's forecourt along Hollywood Boulevard.

"It is only fitting that my dad, Kobe Bryant, is the very first athlete to get their hand and footprint displayed here in the city of Los Angeles," said Bryant's eldest daughter, Natalia, during a speech. "This day symbolizes the impact that he has had on a city that he loved and cared for so deeply."

Natalia Bryant was joined by her mother Vanessa and her younger sisters Bianka and Capri, who placed their hands and feet in their father's imprints after the unveiling. Also in attendance were Lakers president Jeannie Buss and former Laker, player and coach, Byron Scott.

"From the moment that good fortune and a great trade brought Kobe to us in 1996, he wove his way into the tapestry of this city in a way no sports fan or even non-sports fan will ever forget," Buss said.

Bryant, in addition to winning five NBA championships and being enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame, won an Oscar for his short film "Dear Basketball."  

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"As you visit here for years to come, I encourage you to place your hands in his, and take a moment to stand in his shoes," Natalia said. "This will be a treasure for the city of Los Angeles and my dad's fans from all over the world to hold and to cherish." 

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