Lakers News: Jalen Rose Responds To Kobe Bryant's Trolling Statue Choice

Rose had some jokes to honor Bryant!

The first of Hall of Fame Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant's three planned bronze statues was unveiled last night, immortalizing the 6'6" swingman as one of the greatest members of the Los Angeles Lakers. The statue was a long time coming and it was a special moment for all involved. 

Many wondered how the statue would look or what iconic pose of Bryant it would be. So when it was finally revealed, many believed that it fit him perfectly. 

It was an ode to him scoring 81 points back in January of 2006, which is still the second-highest-scoring game by one player in NBA history. Bryant was unstoppable during the game against the Toronto Raptors, and it deserved to be presented in statue form forever.

Former NBA wing Jalen Rose was a member of the Toronto Raptors during the 2006 season, and he was tasked with guarding Bryant during the game. Bryant ate him alive on the court, and the running jokes began. 

Bryant even made a commercial years ago where he hinted at himself scoring 81 points to Rose while the two were sitting down together. It has been a fun part of the discourse, and Rose has always been a good sport about it.

Rose took to social media to honor Bryant after the statue unveiling. 

In honor of today's statue unveiling, I'm eating 81 OLIVES for DINNER! pic.twitter.com/iavdsSat3C

— Jalen Rose (@JalenRose) February 9, 2024

It was a classic moment from the former NBA guard.

He was alluding to this commercial he and Bryant made together, playfully referencing Bryant's big night at his expense:

This is good sportsmanship by Rose and shows the level of respect that he has for the former Lakers guard. Bryant made an impact on so many people during his career, and his legacy will be forever remembered.