The Los Angeles Lakers are paying tribute to legendary basketball player Kobe Bryant, and they couldn’t have picked a better day to do it.
The NBA team will honor the late icon with a bronze statue this Thursday before their highly-anticipated game against the Denver Nuggets. The unveiling ceremony is scheduled at 6 p.m., with the team dressed in Kobe-inspired uniforms.
Lakers Pay Homage To Kobe Bryant & His Late Daughter Gianna
It has been four years since Kobe and his daughter Gianna tragically died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Despite the time, the duo’s memories remain alive in the hearts of basketball lovers worldwide.
This is why the Lakers chose the perfect date to unveil the statue, as today, “2-8-24” honors the late basketball players. The numbers 8 and 24 are synonymous with the jerseys Kobe rocked during his time with the Lakers.
Although Gianna wouldn’t be getting a statue with her dad, the number 2 was a tribute to her jersey as a rising basketball player. Hopefully, she will be remembered whenever people see Kobe’s statue at Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com Arena.
In addition to the statue tribute, the Lakers will wear Kobe-inspired Black Mamba uniforms for their match against the Nuggets. The late NBA superstar helped design the jerseys to fit his “Black Mamba” nickname.
The uniforms feature snakeskin-themed black print and drop shadows on the jersey numbers. The design also has “LA 24” on the belt and Kobe’s Nos. 8 and 24 under the flap of each leg of the shorts.
Creating this unique design is one of many achievements Kobe had in his life, including five NBA championships, a two-time Finals MVP, and being an 18-time All-Star. Thanks to his impressive career, he retired in 2016 as one of the best basketball players in NBA history.
Even after his death, the Philadelphia native continued to succeed and was posthumously voted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020. He was also named in the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
Kobe’s statue was another posthumous milestone. Per USA Today, he will be the seventh Lakers legend to be commemorated with the honor after icons like Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West, and Chick Hearn.
Kobe Bryant Is Making More Money After His Death
Kobe’s investments during his lifetime continue to pay out after his death. He reportedly made over $320 million thanks to his NBA career, savvy investments, endorsements, and other deals.
As a basketball player, Kobe had endorsed more than 20 brands, including famous names like Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, and Hublot. These collaborations allegedly brought in $25-30 million per year.
Instead of spending it all, the Philadelphia native grew his finances through investments in different businesses. His ventures included the sports drink BodyArmor and startups like Art of Sport and HouseCanary.
Kobe also had a $100 million venture capital fund with partners like Jeff Stibel, Peyton Manning, and Steph Curry. Outside these sectors, he made waves as a publisher of young adult books and became the first pro athlete to score an Academy Award in 2018.
He bagged the prestigious trophy thanks to his animated short film “Dear Basketball.” At just 41, Kobe had an estimated fortune of $600 million, exceeding most athletes.
Although he was no longer here to cash out, his wealth grew after his death. In July 2023, 2K Games unveiled Kobe as the cover of the 25th-anniversary edition of their NBA video game. This meant they had to pay the Kobe Bryant estate to use his face.
Kobe’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, also increased their fortune by relaunching his signature Nike shoes. Details of the deal were kept under wraps, but it could have brought it more than the $10 million the late athlete received in his lifetime.
His posthumous wealth increased when Coca-Cola bought the sports drink brand BodyArmor. Kobe reportedly invested $6 million in the business in 2013 but gained a massive payout when Coke spent around $5.6 billion to acquire it in 2021.