The Lakers and Vanessa Bryant had a big announcement on Mamba Day in L.A.
Five-time NBA champ Kobe Bryant will be immortalized with a bronze statue outside Crypto.com Arena in an unveiling set for Feb. 8, 2024. Bryant won five NBA titles during her 20-year career with the Lakers.
"As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker," said Vanessa Bryant in a video to fans posted on social media Thursday morning. "Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels. On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever."
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Bryant will be the seventh Laker to have a statue in the plaza, joining legends Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn.
“Kobe Bryant was one of the most extraordinary athletes of all time, and one of the most iconic individuals in the history of Los Angeles,” said Jeanie Buss, Los Angeles Lakers Governor. “There is no better place for Kobe to be honored with a statue than here, at the center of our city, where everyone can celebrate him and be inspired by his incredible achievements.”
The Feb. 8, 2024, ceremony will take place before the team's game against the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets that night. More details are expected in the coming months.
Tickets to the game on Feb. 8 will be available starting at noon Friday.
Mamba Day in LA
The Santa Monica Ferris wheel will light up in honor of a beloved star who shined just as brightly as the Southern California landmark during his 20-year career with the Lakers.
The display is part of Mamba Day, every Aug. 24, or 8-24. The date represents the two jersey numbers worn by Bryant during his illustrious Hall of Fame NBA career with the Lakers.
The Ferris wheel will light up in team colors and display the two jersey numbers. The display will start around 7:30 p.m. and feature messages that read "LA (heart symbol) 8" and "LA (heart symbol) 24. Various gold and purple patterns and transitions will continue flashing on the 90-foot-tall wheel through midnight.
Kobe Bryant birthday tributes
Mamba Day is one day after what would have been Bryant's 45th birthday.
Wife Vanessa Bryant posted touching photos and a message in honor of her husband, who was among nine people killed in a January 2020 helicopter crash northwest of Los Angeles. The couple's 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, also was killed in the crash.
"Happy birthday, baby. I love you always & forever," Vanessa Bryant shared on Instagram Wednesday in a post that included 10 photos of the family.
UCLA Health continued it annual tradition of providing Bryant-themed care packages for newborns and their families, and the photos are adorable.
Bryant helped lead the Lakers to five NBA titles and appeared in 18 All-Star Games. Both uniform numbers were retired by the Lakers in 2017 after his retirement.
The league posted a photo of Bryant on his birthday.
At Crypto.com Arena Tuesday night, rapper Drake paid tribute to Bryant after someone tossed a No. 24 Lakers jersey on the stage.
