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Kobe Bryant statue unveiled in downtown LA
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 big reveal – which showed the first of the three statues – happened right outside Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as Staples Center, on Thursday afternoon. The first statue – revealed Thursday – is in honor of Bryant's 81-point game, the second statue will be of Bryant and his daughter Gianna and a third statue will have Bryant in the No. 24 jersey.
The "Black Mamba" joins fellow Laker legends Shaquille O'Neal, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Chick Hearn and Elgin Baylor with statues outside the home of the LA Lakers, Clippers, Kings and Sparks.
Other sports heroes honored outside the arena include boxing icon Oscar De La Hoya, NHL's "Great One" Wayne Gretzky – who had a stint with the Los Angeles Kings – and fellow Kings legends Luc Robitaille and Dustin Brown.
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Kobe Bryant statue unveiled Feb. 8
Kobe Bryant will have three statues outside Crypto.com Arena. The first of the three statues was unveiled by the Lakers on February 8.
The Los Angeles Lakers unveil a statue honoring the late Kobe Bryant at the Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) (Getty Images)
REMEMBERING KOBE BRYANT:
- Shaq narrates heartwarming tribute ahead of ceremony
- Darvin Ham and Ty Lue reflect on NBA icon’s legacy
- Remembering the NBA legend through photos
- Lakers, Vanessa Bryant announce unveiling ceremony date for early 2024
- Everything you need to know about the Kobe Bryant statue
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Vanessa Bryant announces Kobe's statue unveiling ceremony for early 2024
The statue will be unveiled on Feb. 8, 2024. (Twitter/X: Los Angeles Lakers)
Thursday's reveal adds to Bryant's extensive list of honors, which includes a posthumous induction to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021. Over the course of his 20-year NBA career – all with the Lakers – Bryant won five NBA championships, was named the NBA MVP after the 2007-2008 regular season, was named the NBA All-Defensive team 12 times and was named the league's all-star 18 times.
Bryant also helped the United States win two gold medals and the Lakers retired No. 8 and 24 in Bryant's honor.
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Kobe Bryant art experience opens in Westwood
Learn more about the immersive art experience opening in honor of Kobe Bryant and Black History Month.
Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, were among the nine people killed in the Jan. 2020 helicopter crash.