Vanessa Bryant Poses with Daughters as Crypto.com Arena Unveils Kobe Bryant Memorial Statue

Vanessa Bryant and her daughters were delighted with the special tribute to the beloved NBA star whom they called husband and father.

On Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Crypto.com Arena unveiled a bronze statue of Kobe Bryant outside the sports complex in a star-studded ceremony. Vanessa, 41, was there for the special moment along with daughters Capri Kobe, 4½, Bianca Bella, 7, and Natalia Bryant, 21.

After the unveiling, Vanessa posted a photo on Instagram of her and her girlfriends standing in front of the statue and captioned it with a quote from her late husband. “‘LEAVE THE GAME BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT. AND WHEN IT’S TIME TO GO, LEAVE A LEGEND.’ ~ @kobebryant💜💛👑🐍,” she wrote.

Kobe and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash in 2020 that killed seven other people. His Los Angeles jersey numbers were 8 and 24, while Gianna wore number 2 when she played basketball, hence the statue’s unveiling date of 2/8/24.

“Forever immortalized, forever in our hearts 💜💛,” the Lakers commented on Vanessa’s post.

Vanessa Bryant celebrates ‘lovely’ daughter Natalia’s 21st birthday and pays tribute to ‘best dad’ Kobe Bryant

During the ceremony, Vanessa, who married Kobe in 2001, also gave an emotional speech and announced plans for two more statues of her husband, including one depicting their late daughter Gianna.

“Kobe has so many people who have supported him all over the world since the beginning and this moment is not just for Kobe, it’s for all of you who have been rooting for him all these years,” she said.

The proud wife also commented on Kobe’s pose on the statue, which looks like he is raising his right hand and pointing his finger towards the sky. “And for the record, Kobe chose the pose you’re going to see, so if anyone has a problem with that, hard s—,” she joked.

Vanessa Bryant remembers husband Kobe and daughter Gianna on the fourth anniversary of his death

The ceremony was attended by former Lakers player Lamar Odom, former co-owner and basketball legend Magic Johnson, and Ciara and Russell Wilson. Former Lakers coach Phil Jackson, legendary player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe’s former teammate, Derek Fisher and Lakers owner Jeanie Buss also gave speeches.

Vanessa first publicly released the statue, which features Kobe in his white No. 8 jersey, in a video shared in August.

“As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers,” Vanessa said in the clip. “Since he arrived in this city and joined the Lakers organization, he has felt at home here, playing in the city of angels.”

Statue of Kobe Bryant at Crypto.com Arena.

Ronald Martinez/Getty

“On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and myself, I am honored that, right in downtown Los Angeles, in front of the place known as ‘The House That Kobe Built,’ we will unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever,” she said. .

The video was captioned “Kobe’s Legacy Immortalized 2•8•24.”

In her recently released cover story for City and country this week, Natalia spoke about how her late father’s ambitious mindset continues to influence her, four years after his death.

Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant attend the 2019 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks game.

Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty

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“In terms of legacy, my main goal is simply to be the best version of myself that I can,” Natalia told the magazine. She added that she “understands that there are no expectations that I should have for every stage of life.”

“I just have to know that I have to keep learning because there is no goal,” the University of SC film student and model continued. “You just have to keep pushing and be the best person you can be and absorb everything like a sponge… The work is never done.”

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Source: HIS Education