There was a lot of anticipation for the unveiling date of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s statue, and now we got it. The statue is set to be shown on Feb. 8, 2024, which is a home game against the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
Bryant meant a lot to basketball fans around the world and inspired many for his illustrious 20-year career, leaving us with endless stories and memories. Jerry West, another Lakers legend who has a statue of his own in front of Crypto.com Arena, was responsible for drafting Bryant and the two maintained a very close relationship until Kobe’s tragic passing.
West recently shared some emotional thoughts about the meaning that the Black Mamba’s statue will have on the L.A. community, wishing Bryant could have been there to see it unveiled, via Mark Medina of sportskeeda.com:
“Anyone who is a Lakers fan and looks back at his basketball career knows it certainly was expected. You knew it was going to come sooner or later. It’s an incredible tribute to one of our legendary players that has played in the NBA. I certainly would’ve liked to have seen it a lot differently during a much happier moment so that he could’ve been there to enjoy it.”
“After a number of years, it still feels like it happened yesterday. Particularly when you read about it, you start reflecting back. Certainly, I’ve done that a number of times. It’s very worthy. It’s something you knew was going to happen. You just didn’t know when. It’s been amazing to me think about someone who had so much to give back in a different manner, even off the basketball court. I think I’ve told you more than once that his life off the basketball court to me was going to be just as great as his play. He had done so much when he left the game.”
West was the driving force behind trading up in the 1996 Draft to pick Bryant, which panned out masterfully for the Lakers organization. The Logo continued by expanding on what should be an emotional but fulfilling day for Lakers fans on Feb. 8:
“I’m sure it will be a great day to honor him and more importantly for his life-long fans and the people he touched in his life. I don’t know what the reaction will be to this happening. It’s so strange. I’m having trouble putting words together here because there are significant factors here with his time as a player and then his passing and the legacy he’s left.”
“He will not be forgotten. It’ll be another opportunity for fans to see a part of his life that will live forever. There will be a lot of people there that won’t have dry eyes, that’s for sure. It’s hard to put into words. I still have so many memories of him. I go in my kids’ rooms. They no longer live here. They still have an incredible display of pictures of Kobe and my kids when they were smaller. The emotions don’t go away in this household.”
The Black Mamba will be joining West, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, former teammate, Shaquille O’Neal and legendary announcer Chick Hearn with statues in front of Crypto.com Arena. A plaza that features so much greatness will soon grow even more.
‘The house that Kobe built,’ is a phrase that has been carried throughout Bryant’s career and now will be cemented forever with this upcoming statue.
Horry discusses what statue should look like
One thing the Lakers have yet to announce is what Bryant’s statue will look like, although plenty of people have been chiming in giving their take, including his former teammate Robert Horry.
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