The Los Angeles Lakers and the Bryant family have unveiled a new bronze statue outside Crypto.com Arena, paying tribute to five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna.
The statue, positioned near the 11th Street Entrance, celebrates Kobe’s legacy and his devotion to supporting women and girls in sports.
The sculpture, crafted by Rotblatt Amrany Studio, depicts Kobe with his arm around Gianna, both adorned with angel wings.
While, the design, inspired by Kobe’s time in Italy, features purple and gold flowers and engraved butterflies symbolizing transformation and hope.
Widow of Kobe, Vanessa Bryant, speaking at the unveiling, shared the emotional significance of the tribute.
She explained that the statue merges two memorable moments: Kobe wearing a Philadelphia Eagles beanie gifted by Gianna and his support for women’s sports through a distinctive WNBA hoodie.
Vanessa stated, "Kobe was the ultimate Girl Dad and Gigi was the ultimate Daddy’s girl."
Statue features unique plaque:
The statue also features a plaque honoring Gianna as an "Inspirational Icon for Girls in Sports" and Kobe as a "Proud Supporter of Women in Sports."
The plaque includes a quote from Kobe, celebrating his pride in being a "Girl Dad."
Moreover, the installation date, August 2, holds special meaning, reflecting both Kobe’s jersey numbers (8 and 24) and Gianna’s number (2) from her youth basketball days.
The statue will be open for public viewing starting August 3.
Additionally, this new addition joins the first Kobe Bryant statue unveiled earlier this year at Star Plaza, making him the seventh Laker to be honored with such a tribute.
