Kobe Bryant Earns Yet Another Honor at Lakers Arena

Sam Garcia | Aug 6, 2024

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Kobe Bryant is a Los Angeles legend. There are countless murals for the late five-time NBA champion all around the Los Angeles area. The Lakers have even designed memorials for Bryant within the Crypto.com arena, formerly known as the Staples Center where Bryant played. 

Recently, the Lakers unveiled a statue in front of the arena that depicts Bryant and his late basketball-loving daughter Gianna Bryant at the last game they attended at the arena. 

This is the second statue of three planned monuments for the 2008 NBA MVP. The first statue was showcased in February and portrays Bryant wearing the No. 8, the number he wore for 10 seasons (1996-2006) and earned eight All-Star selections in. 

The third statue will feature Bryant wearing the No. 24, the number he donned for the second half of his 20-year NBA career. He chose that number to symbolize that he is one step above Michael Jordan who wore the No. 23. You can read more about the inspiration behind No. 24 for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer here.

Both Bryant's jerseys are displayed in the Crypto.com arena and represent two successful eras of one of the most decorated NBA players of all time.

In addition to the statue, the 11th Street entrance of the Crypto.com arena has been renamed the “Kobe Bryant Entrance”, a new tribute that the sports arena announced via X a few days after the statue announcement.

🚪Kobe Bryant Entrance 🚪

Our 11th Street entrance has been renamed in honor of Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/TOhOMwKmRO

— Crypto.com Arena (@cryptocomarena) August 5, 2024

In the same week that the Bryant father-daughter statue was unveiled, the locker Bryant used in the Staples Center was auctioned for $2.9 million.

Bryant did not waste any time to make a name for himself in the NBA, which helped earned him several accoloades across 20 seasons in the league including an NBA All-Rookie Team selection. Additionally as a rookie in 1997, he won the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend.

The shooting guard went on to collect 15 All-NBA and four All-Star Game MVP selections. He had nearly equal success in both No. 8 and No. 24. Bryant made six All-Defense team and won one scoring title in both eras of his career. But, as No. 24, he won the 2008 NBA MVP and two NBA Finals MVP.

Few athletes play with one franchise their whole career. Bryant stayed for two decades, which forever cements him as a legend throughout Los Angeles. The Kobe Bryant entrance at Crypto.com arena will surely not be the last memorial in Bryant's honor.