The legacy of Kobe Bryant has been commemorated and immortalized with a bronze statue in front of Crypto.com Arena.
The unveiling took place on February 8, 2024, with Venessa Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jeanie Buss, and many other loved ones of Kobe in attendance.
His statue now stands among other Lakers legends like Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jerry West, and Chick Hearn in front of the Lakers’ home. Of course, that’s not all the greats the statue will be close to. The plaza also includes Los Angeles Kings’ Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Dustin Brown, and announcer Bob Miller, along with champion boxer and fellow Angeleno Oscar De La Hoya.
At the unveiling held this past Thursday, Vanessa Bryant shared a heartfelt speech.
“It goes without saying that today is an especially sad day for us since Kobe and Gigi aren’t here for what is supposed to be an incredibly joyous moment and Kobe’s legacy,” shared Vanessa. “Kobe has so many people that have supported him all over the world from the very beginning. And this moment isn’t just for Kobe, but it’s for all of you that have been rooting for him all of these years.”
This is a historic honor for one of the greatest basketball players of all time, and now Kobe Bryant fans and those a part of the Lakers Nation everywhere can lay their eyes on his statue.
You can watch the statue unveiling in its entirety here.
📍Location: 1111 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015