On the symbolic date of 8/2/24, the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled the second of three statues commissioned to honor Kobe Bryant near Crypto.com Arena. The new statue features Bryant alongside his daughter Gianna, both of whom tragically died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.
Statue Details
The statue depicts Kobe and Gianna seated, with Kobe’s arm around his daughter as angel wings spread behind them. A quote at the base identifies Kobe as the “Most Valuable Girl Dad,” with the inscription, “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 girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”
The date of the unveiling was chosen for its symbolic significance: 8 and 24 were the numbers Kobe wore during his Hall of Fame career with the Lakers, and 2 was the number Gianna wore.
Previous and Upcoming Tributes
This statue is the second of three planned tributes to Kobe Bryant outside the Lakers’ home venue. The team has not yet announced when the third statue will be unveiled.
Additional Honors
On the same day as the statue unveiling, the locker used by Kobe Bryant during his final 13 NBA seasons sold at auction for a record $2.88 million, as reported by ESPN and auction house Sotheby’s. The locker had an estimated value of $1 million to $1.5 million.