The newest statue featuring the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna , affectionately known as Gigi, has been unveiled and the details of the piece pay homage to both the Los Angeles Lakers legend and his basketball-loving daughter .
It is the second of three statues set to be unveiled outside of Crypto.com Arena. First unveiled in early August, Kobe's widow Vanessa explained how the statue represents the best part of the NBA star's personality while he was alive: being a "Girl Dad" and supporting women's basketball. Unlike the first statue - which features Kobe's iconic pose after scoring 81 points against the Toronto Raptors - this statue shows the NBA iconic sharing a moment with Gigi.
The moment, in particular, depicts Kobe and Gigi embracing one another as angel wings surround the two. The inspiration for the statue was when the two were spotted sitting courtside when the Lakers faced the Dallas Mavericks.
The two often went to basketball games together, with the elder Bryant frequently teaching the younger about the nuances of basketball and how to be the best player. Although Gigi was only a young child, it appeared she was destined to have a career in basketball as she often joined Kobe and was around her father at games.
For his part, Kobe was an ardent supporter of women's basketball, as evidenced by the fact that the statue features Kobe wearing an orange WNBA hoodie. Kobe was one of the first NBA stars to show support for the league, often wearing the hoodie to raise awareness for the WNBA.
Lastly, underneath the statue is a small golden plaque surrounded by yellow and purple flowers, featuring both Kobe and Gigi's names alongside the Mamba Sports Academy logo, which the former founded and the latter played for. On the plaque is a quote from the late Lakers star, explaining just how much he appreciated Gigi's commitment and talent at such a young age.
Kobe, Gianna and seven others died in January 2020 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. Gianna was set to play for UConn, her dream school, en route to the WNBA.
"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." Instead of being labeled as one of the NBA's greatest players, Kobe was given the title of "Most Valuable Girl Dad."
Having Kobe be known as the "Most Valuable Girl Dad" was a decision Vanessa wanted to make to show how her husband was. "Kobe was the ultimate Girl Dad and Gigi was the ultimate Daddy's girl," Vanessa said when the statue was first unveiled.
In addition, Vanessa explained how Kobe would have wanted basketball fans to support women's basketball and give it a chance. "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.”
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