The sudden death of Kobe Bryant back in 2020 hit LA Californians differently from any other celebrity death. Most individuals remember exactly where they were and how they found out about this shocking news. As the information spread, the entire city seemed to be in mourning. Basketball and non-sport enthusiasts alike took this death heavily as Kobe was more than just a basketball player. He was a legend, an icon. For years, various individuals looked for ways to memorialize this event in LA history.
April 13, 2016, was a day to remember for all around the world. Kobe Bean Bryant was set to play the final game of his illustrious twenty-year NBA career. Stepping foot into the league in 1996 as a seventeen-year-old right out of high school, he went on to be one of the greatest to ever play the game thanks to his talent that led him to win five NBA Championships and eighteen All-Star selections, a game which consists of 24 of the league’s elite players each year. Along with his storied career and endless highlight reels, Kobe’s elite ‘Mamba Mentality,’ structured around grit and winning at all costs, was what truly separated him from his opponents. Despite the passing of Kobe and his daughter in 2020, his legacy still reigns supreme in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Lakers decided it was time to build a statue outside Crypto Arena. The statue was set to be unveiled on February 8th, 2024 as a homage to his jersey numbers 8 and 24 along with his daughter Gianna’s number 2. Many label the Crypto.com Arena (formerly known as the Staples Center) as “The House Kobe Built,” so many fans expected a statue to be built outside the arena to honor him. A 19-foot, bronze statue was revealed in front of the arena depicting Kobe raising his index finger as he walked off the court following his famous 81-point game in 2006. “Kobe picked the pose you’re about to see. So if anyone has any issues with it – tough s***,” said Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, during the unveiling ceremony. The ceremony also emphasized the fact that there will be two more statues of Kobe in front of the arena to further honor and cement his legacy.
His drive and determination to be the greatest possible player truly inspired the present and future generations of athletes. The Phoenix Suns’ guard Devin Booker and the Boston Celtics’ forward Jayson Tatum both idolized The Black Mamba and have modeled parts of their game around him.
The same can be said for plenty of high school athletes, like Clark student and Hoover High School’s center junior Arin Tahmasian. “Kobe’s one of the best to ever do it, but his mentality is what separates him. The unveiling of his statue should be a reminder for everyone to try to be their very best,” Tahmasian said. “I love his game and have studied some of his legendary moves, while also trying to develop his legendary ‘Mamba Mentality’ to reach my full potential.”
Outside of basketball, Kobe won an Academy Award in 2017 for his animated short film, Dear Basketball, in collaboration with Glen Keane. His efforts in the entertainment industry don’t stop there, as Kobe is also a New York Times bestselling author for the ‘The Wizenard Series: Season One’. Only Kobe Bryant could dominate and receive the most prestigious awards in three separate industries.
The unveiling of his statue is just another reminder for the future, to leave everything on the floor and become the best possible version of yourself. Kobe’s legacy is creating legacies.
“Be Legendary” – Kobe Bryant
