Lakers unveil 2nd Kobe Bryant statue, this one featuring daughter Gianna
LOS ANGELES - In a private ceremony Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled the second of three statues dedicated to Kobe Bryant outside Crypto.com Arena, showing the Laker star with his daughter Gianna.
The statue depicts the two sitting courtside at a Laker game at the arena in December 2019, less than a month before their deaths. The statue shows Kobe and Gigi sitting in the seats, with Kobe's arm wrapped around his daughter, kissing her head. Kobe and Gigi are wrapped in angel wings. The statue is also surrounded by a garden of purple and gold flowers.
A plaque in front of the statue refers to Kobe as the "Most Valuable Girl Dad," along with a quote from Kobe:
"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."
The plaque also refers to Gianna as an "inspirational icon for girls in sports.
Friday's date, 8/2/24, holds significance for both Kobe and Gigi. Kobe wore both 8 and 24 throughout his 20 seasons with the Lakers, while Gigi's jersey number was 2. The first statue honoring Kobe was unveiled on a similar date — 2/8/24.
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That statue depicts Kobe walking off the court after his 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. Shortly after the first statue was available for public viewing, some eagle-eyed fans noticed spelling errors on the plaques, which have since been fixed.
Kobe's wife Vanessa Bryant announced at that first unveiling ceremony that Kobe would have three statues in front of the arena. The third statue is expected to be unveiled sometime next season.
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Kobe and Gigi Bryant were killed along with seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas on January 26, 2020.
The statue will be open and available for public viewing starting at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3.