Lakers News: How LA, Orange County Will Celebrate Kobe Bryant Day This Weekend

The eighth annual Kobe Bryant Day is on Saturday, Aug. 24.

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles' eighth annual “Kobe Bryant Day” will be held on Saturday, one day after the late Los Angeles Lakers All-Star shooting guard's 46th birthday. Following his retirement from the NBA in 2016, former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti dedicated Aug. 24 to Bryant. The date honors the No. 8 and No. 24, which were the two numbers he donned across his double-decade NBA career.

After Bryant and his basketball-loving daughter, Gianna, passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in Jan. 2020, the Orange County Board of Supervisors decided to join in on Kobe Bryant Day. In the same year, Nike declared the week of Bryant’s birthday to be “Mamba Week.” 

The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, led by Bryant’s widow Vanessa Bryant, commenced the week by releasing a collection of purple and gold merchandise called “LA Royal”. The colors represent the Lakers, which was a team that Bryant won five NBA championships with. 

Starting in 2023, Nike established the Mamba League Invitational, which is a two-day basketball tournament for high school players to enjoy the game that Bryant loved. The inaugural tournament consisted of many talented players, including Bryce James, the son of one of Bryant’s former teammates, LeBron James. 

In addition to Kobe Bryant Day and Mamba Week, other organizations in Los Angeles have begun participating in commemorating the 18-time NBA All-Star. 

The Santa Monica Pier features an amusement park, including the Pacific Park Ferris wheel. On Wednesday of Mamba Week, the Ferris wheel shines with purple and gold lights to display the No. 8 and No. 24 in honor of Bryant. 

The Dodgers have also created their own way to pay tribute to Bryant through upcoming weekend festivities at their next three home games. On Friday, Dodger Stadium will have a Lakers-theme drone show to celebrate the legacy of Bryant along with the 2020 NBA champions. 

Saturday and Sunday’s games will consist of multiple giveaways for fans in attendance to acquire Bryant-themed apparel. On Saturday, the Dodgers are distributing Showtime T-shirts to the first 40,000 fans. The T-shirt will represent several iconic Lakers such as Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played significant roles in Bryant’s career. 

On Sunday, the first 40,000 fans will be able to obtain a black and gold Dodgers jersey with the name “Bryant” written across the back. Although Bryant never played a professional baseball game, the jersey shows the immense respect that the Dodgers franchise has for the Los Angeles legend. 

The week’s festivities, along with the countless Kobe Bryant memorials all across LA, speak to the legacy that Bryant left behind.

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