On August 23 of every year, many people wish Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant a happy birthday and remember the late, great Los Angeles Lakers legend who impacted so many people around the world. Current and former NBA players often share stories and memories of Kobe and one of those who did so this year was Trevor Ariza.
Ariza was a teammate of Kobe’s for nearly two seasons, playing a huge role in the Lakers winning the 2009 NBA Championship. Of course, Kobe always had a reputation for being a bit of a ball hog during his playing days, and there are many pictures of him shooting over multiple defenders. And in a text conversation during that time, Ariza poked fun at his shooting decisions.
While wishing Kobe Bryant a happy birthday on Instagram, Ariza revealed a conversation with Kobe in which he sent the Lakers legend a photo of him shooting while being hounded by three Phoenix Suns defenders and Kobe came back with the perfect response:
It isn’t often that we see the funny side of Kobe Bryant as he is known for his focus and ferocity. He was absolutely relentless on the court and would do anything to come out on top. But he also had a sense of humor as was seen in this back-and-forth with Ariza.
And in fairness, he isn’t wrong. If there are three people surrounding him and he misses that shot, the Lakers should have a big advantage on the offensive glass and be able to get an easy basket out of this. Kobe knew his reputation, but that just means the rest of the team should be ready to do their job if he happens to miss.
Kobe being one of the best difficult shot makers in NBA history, it’s very possible he knocked this shot down regardless of the defense in his face. But on his birthday it was great for Ariza to show another side of Kobe that doesn’t get seen often enough.
Kobe Bryant Lakers statue to be revealed February 8, 2024
Something that many people have been waiting for is the unveiling of a Kobe Bryant statue outside of the Crypto.com Arena aka ‘The House that Kobe Built.’ There were rumors about an official date, but they were wrong, and now the real date has finally been revealed.
Kobe’s wife Vanessa Bryant teamed up with the Lakers to announce that the statue will be unveiled on February 8, 2024 or 2/8/24, combining the numbers of both Kobe and Gigi Bryant.