After years of wondering when the Los Angeles Lakers would honor Kobe Bryant with a statue, Vanessa Bryant and the organization officially announced that the franchise legend would be commemorated on Feb. 8, 2024.
Vanessa made the announcement at 8:24 a.m. PT on Aug. 24, which is “Mamba Day,” a well-done touch to honor the two jerseys that Kobe famously wore during his 20-year career with the purple and gold. The date is also a tribute to Gianna, who wore No. 2 during her playing days.
There was never any doubt that Kobe would receive a statue in front of Crypto.com Arena and it’s exciting to for fans to hear that it’s finally happening. The Black Mamba was a beloved figure not just in Los Angeles but globally and now everyone will get to see him immortalized in front of the arena that he made famous.
It’s going to be a special day for the Bryant family and the Lakers organization and fortunately fans who are unable to see the statue unveiling live will be able to watch the entire program on Spectrum SportsNet:
You don’t need to ask… @SpectrumSN will broadcast the Kobe statue ceremony live and commercial free as part of a full day of programming celebrating the Black Mamba. ?? https://t.co/aquJzIBUtf
— Spectrum SportsNet (@SpectrumSN) August 24, 2023
With such a momentous occasion set to happen, Spectrum will surely have a great lineup of programs airing to supplement the ceremony. It’s going to be an emotional day for many considering what Kobe meant both as a player and person.
While more detail are expected to be released in the coming months, fans have already begun to think about what the statue will look like. There are countless iconic moments from Kobe’s career that the Lakers could choose from, and it will be interesting to see which one they select to honor him forever.
Kobe Bryant’s ‘Mamba Moments’ to be introduced in NBA 2K24
Along with a statue and ceremony in front of Crypto.com Arena, Kobe will also be honored in the upcoming NBA 2K24. The video game announced that they would be releasing a mode called “Mamba Moments” which will allow players to relive some of the Hall of Famer’s greatest performances.
NBA 2K explained the mode is meant to highlight some of his underrated games as well as introduce him to some of basketball’s newest fans. There are several games that immediately come to mind when thinking about Kobe’s best games, but it remains to be seen what else the game has in store.
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