Vanessa Bryant Announces Lakers Will Unveil Kobe Statue In 2024

Source: MediaNews Group/San Gabriel Valley Tribune via Getty Images / Getty

Kobe Bryant’s been immortalized in the hearts of NBA fans, but now, he’ll be physically remembered with a bronze statue. This morning, at 8:24 a.m. (Aug. 24), better known as Kobe Day, Vanessa Bryant announced on the Los Angeles Lakers social media that a statue of Kobe will be unveiled at Star Plaza outside of the Crypto.com arena prior to a game against the Denver Nuggets. The ceremony will take place on Feb. 8, 2024, or 2/8, in honor of the jersey numbers Kobe wore as a lifelong Laker: 8 and 24.

“As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker,” Vanessa Bryant said in the video. “Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels. On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever.” The team revealed that Kobe participated in early talks of the statue going up before his untimely death in 2020, joining rank as the seventh Laker to receive the honor, including greats, Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Chick Hearn. Lakers president Jeannie Buss spoke about the Kobe statue, celebrating his importance to the city’s basketball culture. “Kobe Bryant was one of the most extraordinary athletes of all time and one of the most iconic individuals in the history of Los Angeles,” Buss said in a statement. “There is no better place for Kobe to be honored with a statue than here, at the center of our city, where everyone can celebrate him and be inspired by his incredible achievements.” Details about the ceremony in honor of the 18-time All-Star and 5-time NBA champ will be released closer to the February date. Social media is happy that the Black Mamba’s finally getting a statue on Laker’s stomping ground. See the reactions below.