Well before it even became official that Kobe Bryant would be getting a statue outside of Crypto.com Arena, many wondered which pose would be used for it. Everyone finally got the answer as the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled the first of three Kobe statues that would be placed around the arena.
The first was a famous one of Bryant walking off the court after scoring 81 points against the Toronto Raptors with one finger in the air. It is one of the most iconic images of Kobe in one of the most memorable nights of the Lakers’ legend’s career.
The statue itself also included a QR code which linked to a tribute video of that unforgettable night. One which was narrated by another icon and one of the best to ever do it in his field, longtime Lakers fan Denzel Washington.
The video, directed by Antoine Fuqua, begins with Washington speaking about how certain nights turn men into legends with this night being one of those for Kobe Bryant. It then shows every single one of the 81 points Kobe scored in the Lakers’ win over the Raptors as well as Bryant’s on-court postgame interview.
Denzel Washington has been a Lakers fan since the ‘Showtime’ era
After Jack Nicholson, Denzel Washington is probably the most famous Lakers fan around. He first began attending games back in the 1980s with his first game being the infamous contest in which Kevin McHale clotheslined Kurt Rambis. Washington said he signed up for season tickets that night and has had them ever since.
He was certainly around for most, if not all, of Kobe’s greatest accomplishments in a Lakers uniform and has been seen plenty since LeBron James and Anthony Davis joined the franchise as well. In fact, when LeBron signed, Washington admitted he immediately called his accountant to make sure he still had those season tickets.
Kobe Bryant Lakers statue details
Kobe Bryant’s first of three statues stands 19 feet tall and depicts his famous pose after scoring 81 points in the Lakers win against the Raptors on Jan. 22, 2006. Kobe’s wife Vanessa revealed that he picked the pose himself prior to his tragic passing in 2020.
The statue was designed by artist Julie Rotblatt Amrany and combines elements that both Kobe and Vanessa Bryant suggested. This includes an inscription of accolades collected by Bryant throughout his career, a QR code to the 81-point game highlight video, a triangular statue base as an homage to Jackson and Tex Winter’s triangle offense and a replica of Bryant’s five championship trophies.
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