![<div>2-8-24: Vanessa Bryant & The Lakers Immortalize Kobe Bryant With Tribute Statue & Reveal Two More Will Be Added Outside Crypto.Com Arena</div> <div>2-8-24: Vanessa Bryant & The Lakers Immortalize Kobe Bryant With Tribute Statue & Reveal Two More Will Be Added Outside Crypto.Com Arena</div>](https://bossip.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2024/02/17074631700364.jpg?strip=all&quality=80)
Bossip
Video
Kobe
Bryant
Source:
MediaNews
Group/Los
Angeles
Daily
News
via
Getty
Images
/
Getty
The
Los
Angeles
Lakers
unveiled
one
of
three
Kobe
Bryant
statues
outside
the
Crypto.com
Arena
as
family
and
friends
remembered
the
legend.
The
death
of
Kobe
Bryant
is
still
a
sore
spot
for
fans
of
the
NBA
champion
and
even
those
who
cheered
against
him.
When
the
late
basketball
great
initially
retired,
fans
knew
it
was
a
matter
of
time
before
he
would
immortalized
with
a
statue
for
his
greatness,
and
on February
8,
his
tribute
statue
was
finally
revealed.
Related
Stories
During
a
small
ceremony
that
was
streamed
online,
not
only
was
the
first
Kobe
statue
revealed
but
it
was
announced
that
the
late
legend
will
have
three
more
made
that
will
be
placed
outside
of
the
Crypto.com
Arena.
Source:
Ronald
Martinez
/
Getty
According
to
ESPN,
Kobeâs
widow
Vanessa
Bryant
made
it
clear
that
sheâs
not
listening
to
opinions
about
the
first
statue
because
Kobe
had
a
say
in
it
before
his
passing.
âFor
the
record,
Kobe
picked
the
pose
youâre
about
to
see,
so
if
anyone
has
any
issues
with
it,
tough
sâ,â
Vanessa
said.
Source:
MediaNews
Group/Los
Angeles
Daily
News
via
Getty
Images
/
Getty
Lakers
GM
Rob
Pelinka
revealed
the
three-statue
idea
came
from
the
need
to
do
something
nobody
else
had
done
and
itâs
a
testament
to
Los
Angelesâ
love
for
the
icon.
âWhen
I
found
out
there
was
going
to
be
three
statues,
I
just
said,
âThatâs
fitting,’â
said
Pelinka,
Bryantâs
longtime
friend,
former
agent
and
current
the
vice
president
of
basketball
operations
and
general
manager
of
the
Lakers.
âBecause
itâs
just
how
the
City
of
Angels
feels
about
Kobe.
He
deserves
something
that
no
other
athlete
thatâs
ever
played
here
deserves.â
The
ceremony
featured
five
guest
speakers
including
Jeanie
Buss,
Phil
Jackson,
Derek
Fisher,
Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar,
and
Vanessa
Bryant.
During
the
ceremony,
Phil
Jackson
revealed
that
the
statueâs
pose
came
from
the
infamous
night
Kobe
scored
81
points.
âThe
night
he
got
81,
we
needed
all
those
points,â
Jackson
said.
âThey
were
running
a
zone
against
us,
and
we
devised
a
little
offensive
system
that
would
exaggerate
Kobe
having
a
one-on-one
opportunity
with
either
a
power
forward,
a
small
forward
or
Jalen
Rose.
He
ate
that
up.â
Source:
MediaNews
Group/Los
Angeles
Daily
News
via
Getty
Images
/
Getty
Kareem
Abdul-Jabbar
also
spoke
and
reminded
everyone
what
Kobe
stood
for
and
how
the
statue
represents
just
that;
excellence.
âThis
statue
may
look
like
Kobe,
but
really
itâs
what
excellence
looks
like,
what
discipline
looks
like,
what
commitment
looks
like,
what
love
of
family
looks
like,â
Abdul-Jabbar
said.
âThe
statue
is
a
wonderful
contribution.
It
captures
a
person
frozen
in
time,
while
at
the
same
time
acknowledges
that
the
reason
there
is
a
statue
in
the
first
place
is
because
that
person
is
timeless.â
Source:
Ronald
Martinez
/
Getty
Kobeâs
late
daughter
Gigi
Bryant
was
also
remembered
during
the
ceremony.
Before
passing
away
in
a
helicopter
crash
with
her
dad,
Gigi
wore
the
number
2
while
her
father
wore
the
number
8
and
the
number
24
which
made
up
the
unveiling
date
of
2-28-24.
Gigi
will
be
immortalized
in
one
of
the
three
statues
with
her
father.
Watch
the
Kobe
Bryant
statue
unveiling
below.