Fans of the Los Angeles Lakers worldwide continue to mourn the tragic passing of Lakers and NBA legend Kobe Bryant as we approach the four year anniversary of his death.
Over the last four years, tributes to the Hall of Famer have slowed, but they have never stopped. And perhaps one of the most consistent forms of tribute to Bryant have been murals in the Los Angeles area.
It is nearly impossible to drive through any part of L.A. without seeing at least once mural dedicated to Bryant in some form. Some are of Bryant as a player and his time with the Lakers, while others depict his second career as a father to his daughter Gianna Bryant, who was also tragically lost in January of 2020.
And even now, murals continue to take life in different regions of L.A. This includes a new mural at the basketball courts in Venice Beach with a new spin on the Mamba Mentality mantra, via Kobe & Gianna Bryant Murals:
Brand new Kobe Bryant mural at the Venice Beach basketball courts. #ThatsMamba
Mamba Forever ? pic.twitter.com/SNG9Wu6IZo
— Kobe & Gianna Bryant Murals (@kobemurals) December 22, 2023
The mural depicts Bryant doing a signature silencing gesture while he played for Team USA at the Olympics. The mural reads “That’s Mamba” with the Bryant logo underneath. It also has another person doing the same gesture, likely a tribute to Bryant’s impact on the L.A. community.
For fans, this mural serves as another opportunity to pay respects to one of the most important people in the city’s sports culture. And for Bryant’s family, it’s a reminder of the love and support that they still have from the community even four years after his death.
LeBron James reflects on first matchup with Kobe Bryant
Recently, Lakers star LeBron James had a chance to reflect on the first time he ever faced off against Bryant in the NBA and what that game meant to him.
James did not play one of his best games with a 6-for-20 shooting performance, a rare misstep for one of the most efficient perimeter players in league history. Meanwhile, Bryant re-injured a previously hurt shoulder in the first quarter and would only play enough to score 10 points in about a quarter and a half of action.
While the on-court result was not the fireworks that many would expect from a meeting between these two all-time greats, the sentimental value of James and Bryant’s first matchup is incalculable. It formed a bond that would remain for the next 16 years and beyond for James.
Bryant showed an instant respect for the young star and it set the stage for a wonderful friendship and countless exciting battles over the years.
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