Statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant

Last updated

Statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant
Statue of Kobe and Gigi.png
The statue in 2024
Statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant
MediumBronze sculpture
Subject Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant
LocationLos Angeles, California, U.S.
Coordinates 34°02′37.5″N118°16′03.9″W / 34.043750°N 118.267750°W / 34.043750; -118.267750

The Kobe and Gianna Bryant Memorial Statue is a work of public art designed by American visual artist Karon Davis and created by the Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt-Amrany. The bronze sculpture of the American basketball player Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna Bryant was commissioned by Vanessa Bryant, the wife of Kobe and mother of Gianna. It stands on a base located near Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles. The statue was unveiled in 2024. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

In a famous tragedy, Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on January 26, 2020. The crash claimed the lives of all nine people on board, including Kobe and Gianna. [4] The statue serves as a reminder of their legacy and the bond they shared.

On August 2, 2024, the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue of Kobe and Gianna outside Crypto.com Arena. [5] [6] The statue, which was revealed during a private ceremony, depicts Kobe embracing Gianna while they sit on a bench, wrapped in angel wings. The statue contains a plaque with a quote from Kobe Bryant, stating,

Gianna is a beast. She's better than I was at her age. She's got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I'm a girl dad.

— Kobe Bryant

The memorial is located near the Los Angeles Kings Monument.

The date of the unveiling, 8/2/24, holds numerological significance as it represents Kobe's two NBA numbers (8 and 24) and Gigi's number 2, which she wore on the basketball court (Gigi was a nickname of Gianna). [7] The statue captures a moment of affection between Kobe and Gigi, inspired by their interactions while sitting courtside at various NBA games in 2019. [8]

Future plans

The statue of Kobe and Gianna Bryant is the second of three planned memorials outside the Crypto.com Arena, being unveiled 5 months and 24 days after the Statue of Kobe Bryant. The third statue, which will depict Kobe in his No. 24 jersey, is expected to be unveiled during the upcoming NBA season. [9] These statues serve as a lasting tribute to Kobe Bryant's illustrious career and his enduring impact on the sport of basketball. [10]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Lakers Honor Kobe and Gianna Bryant With Rotblatt Amrany Sculpture | Studio Rotblatt Amrany". rotblattamrany.com. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  2. ↑ Golliver, Ben (August 3, 2024). "Lakers unveil statue honoring Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  3. ↑ Bernabe, Angeline Jane. "New Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant statue celebrates the basketball legend's love for his daughters". ABC News. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  4. ↑ "LA County Coroner releases autopsy reports for Calabasas helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and 8 others". KTVU FOX 2. May 15, 2020. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  5. ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  6. ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Lakers unveil statue of Kobe Bryant with daughter Gigi outside Crypto.com Arena". NBA.com. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  8. ↑ Stiles, Matt; Kannan, Swetha; Miller, Casey; Roberson, Andrea (January 28, 2020). "The final moments of Kobe Bryant's fatal flight, turn by turn". www.latimes.com. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Lakers unveil statue of Kobe and Gigi Bryant". FOX Sports. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Lakers unveil 2nd Kobe Bryant statue, honoring his bond with daughter Gianna". Orange County Register. August 3, 2024. Retrieved August 4, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.