(Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers have honored the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gigi Bryant, with a heartfelt tribute.
According to TMZ, the LA Lakers unveiled the second of three statues honoring Kobe and Gianna Bryant outside the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Friday, August 2.
The outlet confirms that the sculpture captures Kobe and Gigi sitting courtside at a Lakers game in December 2019.
Bleacher Report notes that the statue’s reveal date, 8/2/24, was strategic, symbolizing both Kobe Bryant’s jersey numbers — No. 8 and No. 24 and the No. 2 Gianna wore.
Karon Davis designed the artwork, and the artist Rotblatt Amrany Studio created it, depicting Kobe with his arms around Gianna and angel wings in the background.
In classic Laker style, the monument features a surround of purple and gold flowers along with a plaque displaying a quote from Bryant about his daughter and his pride in being a girl dad, per TMZ.
“Gianna is a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She’s got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more if I could. I’m a girl dad.”
PEOPLE announced that the statue of Kobe and Gigi will be available for public viewing on Saturday, August 3.
Commenters under The Shade Room’s Instagram report shared their thoughts on the new sculpture of Kobe and Gigi.
Instagram user @christophe_kyle wrote, “4 years later, and it still doesn’t feel real today! 🥹🙏🏾”
Instagram user @kmpliving wrote, “Still such a sad way for their lives to end.”
While Instagram user @authorjon wrote, “This was the start of 2020 being the wildest year ever.”
Then Instagram user @melissamack wrote, “My heart breaks every time they are mentioned… 😢”
Another Instagram user @jd_smith39 wrote, “I love it 😢😢😢😢❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ RIP Kobe and Gigi.”
Finally, Instagram user @sharismyth wrote, “Sending prayers to all their families it still seems unbelievable.”
PEOPLE reports that Vanessa Bryant attended the unveiling of the new bronze statue titled “Girl Dad” with her three daughters — Natalia, Bianka, and Capri, whom she shares with Kobe.
During the intimate ceremony, Vanessa praised Kobe for being a loving girl dad and stated that Gigi was the “ultimate Daddy’s girl.”
She also opened up about her efforts to change the perspective on women’s sports because of Gianna.
“We were faced with the harsh reality that no matter how great Gianna was or could be, no matter how great her daddy taught her how to play, or even if she played exactly like Kobe, she would not have had the same benefits and opportunities that her dad and young men currently have because she’s a girl. That’s when the challenge to change the perception of women’s sports started in our household. Gianna would be going into her first year of college this year. We would be watching her shine on the court. Now her spirit is shining a path she has created for young girls and for women in sports.”
In January 2020, the tragic deaths of basketball legend and Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Brant shook the world. A helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, claimed the lives of the father and daughter, along with seven others.
The statue of Kobe and Gianna stands as one of the many honors for NBA stars.
Bleacher Report revealed that Kobe’s first of three statues, a nine-foot, 4000-pound bronze memorial, debuted on 2/8/24. In the statue, he points to the sky, symbolizing his legendary 81-point game in 2006.
