Source: Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic / Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic
The Los Angeles Lakers revealed a statue of Kobe Bryant on Thursday, paying tribute to the late superstar with a 19-foot bronze statue outside their downtown arena. The 4,000-pound statue shows Bryant in his white No. 8 jersey, with his right index finger raised as he left the court after scoring 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006.
During the dedication ceremony, Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, announced that this statue is the first of three planned to honor the five-time NBA champion and top scorer in Lakers history. One statue will showcase Bryant in his No. 24 jersey, worn in the latter part of his career, and a third statue will depict Bryant with his daughter, Gianna, who tragically passed away with him and seven others in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
The first statue was unveiled at a ceremony attended by dozens of Lakers greats and hundreds of season ticket holders. Vanessa Bryant spoke at the ceremony after remarks from team owner Jeanie Buss, former teammate Derek Fisher, Abdul-Jabbar and longtime Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
