“This statue may look like Kobe, but really, it’s what excellence looks like,” said Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was in attendance at the honorable unveiling of the legendary Kobe Bryant’s statue to immortalize the late Los Angeles Lakers star.
In 2020, the five-time NBA champion Bryant, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people, perished in a helicopter crash at the age of 41.
The 19-foot-tall, 4,000-pound bronze statue of him is located outside the Crypto.com Arena, home of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Vanessa, Kobe’s widow, said, “As I see today’s current generation of star players follow in Kobe’s footsteps with huge scoring games, I know he would take pride in knowing that he is still pouring inspiration into the game that was so special to him.
“I leave you with one of my husband’s amazing quotes, ‘Leave the game better than you found it and when it comes time for you to leave, leave a legend.’ and that he did.”
Others in attendance included former head coach Phil Jackson and other LA Lakers legends, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Derek Fisher.
Following the reveal on Thursday, the Lakers donned their “Black Mamba” jerseys, which Bryant co-designed and which they debuted in their 114-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets in 2018.
With seven rebounds, 11 assists, and 29 points, Jamal Murray led the reigning NBA champion Nuggets to victory over the Lakers for the sixth time in a row.
The statue is said to be the first of three that will honor Bryant, with another set to feature him in his number 24 jersey, while the third will depict Bryant and Gianna.
