Lakers News: Derek Fisher Speaks Glowingly Of Kobe Bryant's Leadership At Statue Unveiling

The former teammate of Bryant added a nice touch to the ceremony.

Hall of Fame former Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant's statue was finally unveiled on Thursday evening in front of a small group of people to give it more of an intimate feeling. It was an emotional evening for all involved, and many of the people who were close to Bryant attended the ceremony.

The statue was a long time coming for the Lakers, and now Bryant will forever be immortalized among the greats. Sitting outside Crypto.com Arena, Bryant will receive two more statues as well to commemorate the legacy that he left behind. 

Former Lakers point guard Derek Fisher, a longtime teammate of Bryant's who was selected alongside him by then-GM Jerry West in the 1996 draft, was in attendance for the unveiling. He praised Bryant for everything, and you could tell that he missed his friend. 

“His leadership went beyond scoring points," Fisher said. :It was about fostering a winning mentality."

“His leadership went beyond scoring points. It was about fostering a winning mentality." pic.twitter.com/P4gQoqTHVt

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 9, 2024

Fisher won all five of his championship rings with Bryant on the Lakers, and he was one of the closest people to him. Getting the chance to speak about his former teammate certainly was an honor for Fisher, and he would have never missed the chance that he had.

Derek Fisher won all 5 of his championships alongside Kobe Bryant.

He took the stage today to speak about his former teammate at Bryant’s statue unveiling: pic.twitter.com/rYHPB9sa7A

— All Lakers - AllLakers.com (@thelakers248) February 8, 2024

The entire ceremony was beautifully done, and it helped remember the legacy of Bryant. His impact on the Lakers organization and all of the people he dealt with along the way will never be forgotten.