Kobe Bryant's new statue honors part of his life NBA star was most proud of

Kobe Bryant's legacy continues to live on and the path he blazed for all fathers has been cemented outside of Crypto.com Arena, with the latest statue to honor the Los Angeles Lakers legend focusing on the impact he had on his daughter's lives and women's sports as a whole.

On August 2, 2024, the Lakers unveiled a statue of the late legend sitting down with his daughter Gianna, with angel wings surrounding the two. The reason why the statue was unveiled on that date was because it was a combination of both Kobe and Gianna's numbers: Gianna's No. 2 and Kobe's No. 8 and 24.

The statue immortalizes the iconic moment between Kobe and Gianna when the two attended a Lakers game against the Dallas Mavericks and sat courtside, showing how passionate the two were about basketball. Furthermore, the statue features Kobe in an orange WNBA hoodie, showcasing his everlasting support for the league and women's sports as a whole, which was something he was proud of.

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"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," Vanessa, Kobe's widow, told a small group of friends and family. "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."

Along with the two being surrounded by angel wings, there are also purple and gold flowers, a nod to Kobe's history with the Lakers. Additionally, butterflies are surrounding the two, which is meant to symbolize "transformation and hope," according to a statement released by the Lakers.

What's more, Vanessa acknowledged that regardless of how great a player Gianna could have been, she would have faced an immense challenge as a woman. That was why Kobe was so invested in women's sports and advancing the standing of women's sports: To make sure his daughters had the same opportunities as the boys.

"In honor of Kobe and Gigi, I ask you this: Give young girls your time. Give them your support," Vanessa implored. "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, Gianna and seven others died in January 2020 after their helicopter crashed in Calabasas as the group made its way to a basketball game. Gianna was set to play for UConn, her dream school, on her way to the WNBA.

Underneath the two, there is a plaque that reads : "Gianna Bryant, Inspirational Icon for Girls in Sports" and "Kobe Bryant, Proud Supporter of Women in Sports." Also included is a quote from Kobe, detailing just how much better Gianna was at his age, stating: "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.”

Vanessa concluded her address to those in attendance with a message symbolizing just what kind of person Kobe was while he was alive. "Kobe was the ultimate Girl Dad and Gigi was the ultimate Daddy's girl," the widow said.