Lakers unveil Kobe Bryant statue outside of Crypto.com Arena, Vanessa Bryant reveals two more statues coming (2024)

FAQs

Why is Kobe getting 3 statues? ›

The Lakers announced last month that Bryant would get two more statues, one with him in a No. 24 jersey, which he wore in his last 10 seasons, and the other with daughter Gianna, who also was killed in the crash.

Kobe Bryant Statue Unveiling Ceremony (2/8/24) - Live Stream - Watch ESPN.

The 19-foot, 4,000-pound bronze statue was unveiled on February 8 to commemorate his number 8 jersey. It is one of the three planned tributes to the five-time NBA Champion. Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash with his daughter Gianna and seven others in January 2020.

The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue honoring the late Hall of Fame player, Feb. 9. The statue stands as the largest of the seven statues displayed outside the arena in downtown Los Angeles.

“In high school I started out with number 24. Then I went to number 33 later on. 33 was the number my father wore in high school, so I just switched it to carry on the lineage.”

Kobe Bryant will have three statues outside Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as Staples Center. LOS ANGELES - Kobe Bryant's legacy was further immortalized as not just one bronze statue, but three statues resembling the Los Angeles Lakers legend will be unveiled in downtown Los Angeles.

The event will not be open to the public. Only those with specific ceremony tickets may attend. On top of the statue unveiling to honor Kobe outside Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers will be honoring him inside as well. For the first time this year, the Lakers will be donning the Mamba jerseys.

Following is the transcript from the Kobe Bryant Statue Unveiling. Emcee Stu Lantz and speakers Derek Fisher, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jeanie Buss, Phil Jackson, and Vanessa Bryant.

☑️ “You need to change the game.” ☑️ “You need to be monumental.” “Kobe Bryant checks every box.” Today, Kobe's Laker legacy will be immortalized in LA with a statue unveiling at 6:30 ET.

The burial occurred at Pacific View Memorial Park, which is near the family's home in Orange County. Burial originally was planned for Westwood Village Memorial Park but was changed. Bryant and his daughter, 13, were killed along with seven other people in a helicopter crash Jan.

Why is Kobe Bryant grave unmarked? ›

In a 2004 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Wayne's son Ethan said the site initially went unmarked out of respect for the families of those buried nearby. “They don't want their loved ones' graves trampled on,” he said.

Though still considered superior beef, the price of wagyu can be less than a third that of Kobe. That said, Kobe beef, coming from purebred Japanese Black cows, is still a subsection of wagyu beef. It's just very rare, carefully controlled to exacting standards, and costs a whole lot more.

33 Jersey Retired.

A statue of American basketball player Shaquille O'Neal by artists Omri Amrany and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany is installed outside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

Vanessa Bryant shared the news during the unveiling of the first statue of Bryant wearing a No. 8 jersey. "Because fans all over the world and the City of Angels loved Kobe so much, he will have three statues in front of the arena, also known as 'The House That Kobe Built,'" Vanessa Bryant said Thursday.

"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," Vanessa Bryant said. It was Vanessa Bryant that revealed the plan to have three statues.

LOS ANGELES - A shiny new 19-foot statue of the legendary Kobe Bryant stands out in front of the Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. For many LA sports fans, the arena is still referred to as Staples Center, which was the "House Kobe Built."

Bryant is the sixth Lakers player and seventh team employee to be honored with a statue in Star Plaza outside of the arena known as Staples Center throughout Bryant's career. He joins Shaquille O'Neal, Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Lakers announcer Chick Hearn.