On February 8th 2024, the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles revealed the first of three statues commemorating the late L.A. Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. The other two statues are said to be one of him with his daughter Gianna, who also tragically passed away on January 26, 2020, and another statue of him in his iconic number 24 jersey, since the first one was in his number 8 jersey. His wife Vanessa Bryant shared an emotional speech at the Crypto.com Arena during the statue’s unveiling.
The statue commemorates Bryant’s historic 81 point game from 2006. This is the highest recorded amount of points a player has scored in one game. Though it is said Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in one game in 1962, there is little to no evidence proving he really did it.
A statue of him and his daughter was placed at the site of the helicopter crash in which him and seven others were killed in Calabasas, California on January 26, 2020. The statue depicts him alongside his daughter and also has the names of the other victims engraved on the statue’s pedestal.
So far it is unconfirmed when the other statues, but some speculate they could come on the on August 24, which is recognized as Kobe Bryant day, remembering his two historic numbers, 8 and 24.
