At some point it might be easier to just rename Arena Crypto.com.
Kobe’s birthplace, anyone?
Two of three statues saluting the late great Lakers Kobe Bryant were revealed outside the arena last Friday touching tribute to Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. They both died along with seven other people in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.
Now anyone who enters the arena after admiring the statues can use the Kobe Bryant’s entryformer 11th Street entrance.
See more information: Lakers unveil new statue honoring ‘Girl Dad’ Kobe Bryant’s bond with daughter Gianna
A month after Kobe Bryant’s death, the The NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award was named in his honor – Bryant’s four All-State Game MVPs are tied with Bob Pettit for the most in NBA history. Although his wife, Vanessaand three daughters, Natalia, Bianca It is CapriYou can even more appreciate the inscription on the new statue: “Most Valuable Girl Dad”.
The statue recreates Kobe and Gianna – who was blossoming as a player at 13 and nicknamed Mambacita – sitting courtside at a Lakers game in December 2019, talking basketball. Kobe has his arm around Gianna and is kissing her head.
Above Girl Dad on a sign is a quote from Kobe: “Gianna is a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She understood. The girls are incredible. I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl, dad. The top of the sign features the Mambacita logo and descriptions of father and daughter: “Gianna Bryant, inspirational icon for girls in sports” and “Kobe Bryant, proud advocate for women in sports.”
Any fan in need of even more Mamba mojo can swing by Kobe Bryant’s entrance wearing a special edition Kobe 4 Protro sneakers, with “Girl Dad” printed on the inner tongues.
See more information: Complete coverage: Kobe Bryant statue unveiling
Or visit greater downtown Los Angeles mural of Kobe and Gianna wearing angel wings. The building owner tried to remove him, but the fans wouldn’t let that happen. More than 90,000 signatures filled an online petition and the video company 2K Games reached an agreement with the owner to leave the mural standing.
The deal is set to expire at the end of October, but even if the mural is taken down, several hundred other Kobe Bryant murals dot the Southland. Here are the times the top 24 murals in Los Angeles County and eight in Orange County that honor Bryant.
But none are as majestic as the two statues in the arena. No accident, Kobe and Gianna’s was revealed on 02/08/24which includes his #8 and #24 jerseys and her #2 jersey.
The first statue of Kobe Bryant – a 19-foot, 4,000-pound bronze memorial – was made public on an equally significant date in February (2/8/24) and depicts Bryant in his No. 8 jersey. He’s pointing to the sky in a recreation of an image of his 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors in 2006.
See more information: Column: Starting with his favorite cheesesteak, Kobe Bryant’s spirit is all over Philadelphia
The third statue should show Bryant with his No. 24 jersey, which he has worn for the past 10 years in your 20s Lakers career. This could exhaust the need for bronze memorials, leaving just the name of the arena – many fans still call it the Staples Center – as a potential target.
King Kobe’s cut?
This story originally appeared on Los Angeles Times.
