Lakers News: Vanessa Bryant Celebrates 'Most Valuable Girl Dad' Kobe at Statue Reveal

Plus, Vanessa Bryant shares a moving speech among family and friends.

Jan 31, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; Roses and the jerseys of Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant, right, and his daughter Gianna are draped on the seats they sat in on the last game they attended together, Dec. 29, 2019, at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially unveiled their new statue celebrating the lives of Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant. Both Bryants passed away in a tragic Calabasas helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. Kobe was 41, while Gianna was just 13. The other nine souls aboard the helicopter also passed away.

Jovan Buha of The Athletic shared the Lakers' press release on the big moment.

The Lakers officially announce the new statue honoring Kobe and Gianna Bryant outside of https://t.co/zgfUpP5Y9r Arena pic.twitter.com/jaker1BAAk

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) August 2, 2024

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow and Gianna's mother, was present at a private statue unveiling ceremony among family and friends on Friday. She delivered some touching remarks on the big moment.

"We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi," Vanessa Bryant said. "Gianna has her gorgeous smile on her face and Kobe is kissing the top of her head while wearing the Philadelphia Eagles beanie that Gigi gifted him for Christmas [Kobe hails from Lower Merion, Philadelphia]. He's also wearing a WNBA hoodie he wore courtside to the game with Gigi. Kobe was the first NBA player to wear that orange hoodie to a big game and that was to show his support for Gigi's dreams and for women across all sports. That was a moment he shared with Gigi that will always be a powerful representation of the movement towards equality that was always so important to our family."

"We were faced with the harsh reality that no matter how great Gianna was or could be, no matter how great her daddy taught her how to play, or even if she played exactly like Kobe, she would not have had the same benefits and opportunities that her dad and young men currently have because she's a girl," Vanessa Bryant continued. "That's when the challenge to change the perception of women's sports started in our household. Giannia would be going into her first year of college this year. We would be watching her shine on the court. Now her spirit is shining a path she has created for young girls and for women in sports. In honor of Kobe and Gigi, I ask you this: give young girls your time. Give them your support. Tell them they can do anything any man can do and tell them they can exceed that, because they can, they have and they will. Iron sharpens iron. Reassure that confidence and see how much they thrive. Sometimes, all we need is one person to believe in us, even if that one person is ourselves. Take girls to watch women play sports. Buy those tickets to the game if you can. Watch women's games on TV with your daughters, nieces and cousins. If young girls can see professional women play, they know they have the potential to be them. They know those ambitions aren't just dreams but will become a reality. Let's build up the next generation of athletes. It's what Gigi and Kobe would want us to do."

The statue depicts Kobe and Gianna as they looked while seated courtside during the final Lakers game they watched in person together at the then-Staples Center on December 29, 2019.

That night — as most home games were that season — the Lakers bested the Dallas Mavericks in a 108-95 blowout during their Kristaps Porzingis era. All-Star center Anthony Davis led all scorers with 23 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor and 7-of-9 shooting from the foul line, along with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (19 points), center Dwight Howard (15 points), All-Star point forward LeBron James (13 points), center JaVale McGee, and wing Danny Green (10 points) all joined The Brow in double-digit scoring. Los Angeles would go on to capture its 17th NBA championship in the Orlando "bubble" campus that season, against the Miami Heat.

Beneath the statue is a simple plaque:

Here’s a close-up of the base of the statue: https://t.co/uwfKQDujLh pic.twitter.com/HH9DNMyFUs

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) August 2, 2024

A third and final bronze statue of Bryant is slated to be created soon.

More Lakers: First Look at Lakers' Brand-New Kobe, Gianna Bryant Statue