It's No Accident Two ESPN Reporters Got Married on Kobe Bryant Day

The couple celebrated their wedding last weekend.

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN NBA reporters Malika Andrews and Dave McMenamin tied the knot last weekend on Aug. 24 in Sausalito, CA. The date of their wedding was no coincidence, Andrews and McMenamin chose to get married on 8-24-24, a date that honors the numbers of late Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

Bryant, who played for the Lakers for two decades from 1996-16, wore both the No. 8 and No. 24 over his Hall of Fame basketball career. A five-time NBA Champion, 18-time NBA All-Star, NBA MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, and two-time NBA scoring champion, Bryant is remembered as one of the greatest players and greatest Lakers of all time.

Aug. 24 was officially declared "Kobe Bryant Day" by former Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti following the retirement of Bryant.

Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Jan. 2020. There have been numerous tributes paid to Bryant since his retirement and after his death. The Lakers have released two statues of Bryant, and plan to release a third statue of the superstar in the future.

The first statue was revealed on Feb. 2, 2024, another tribute to both Bryant and Gianna's numbers. The second statue, which depicted Bryant and Gianna together at a Lakers game, was unveiled on Aug. 2, 2024.

In addition to paying tribute to Bryant with their wedding date, McMenamin changed into Nike Mambacitas to honor Bryant, per the New York Times.

The relationship between Andrews and McMenamin also has ties to Lakers star LeBron James. Andrews and McMenamin met while covering a game between the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017 when LeBron James played for the Cavaliers. Andrews had a one-on-one interview with James, and McMenamin covered James, per the New York Times. The two met that day, and are now married nearly seven years later.

The wedding featured other nods to their love of basketball, including a March Madness-style bracket for the seating chart with a sign that said, “Together, we make the perfect team. Please be seeded," paying honor to their love of basketball.

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