Luka Doncic’s Finished Mural Alongside Kobe Bryant Is Pure LA

Doncic and Bryant shared a moment in 2019, six years before Doncic was traded to the Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Over the weekend, a mural featuring the late Kobe Bryant and new Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic was seen in progress. Just days later, that mural has now been completed.

The mural captures a moment between Doncic and Bryant during a Mavericks-Lakers game in 2019. Bryant was in attendance to watch his former team take on the Mavericks, and Doncic caught up with Bryant and embraced him after the game. As he was playing, Doncic noticed someone was trash-talking him in Slovenian, only to turn around and discover it was Bryant.

The following year, Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others were tragically killed during a helicopter crash. Five years after that horrific accident, Doncic was stunningly traded to the Lakers. Within weeks of the trade, there is a mural commemorating a special moment between Doncic and Bryant prior to Bryant's passing.

Doncic reflected on that interaction during his introductory press conference with the Lakers earlier this month. "Just for Kobe to know my name was amazing to me," Doncic said. "I just wish Kobe and Gigi were here to see this moment."

The mural is located at 8251 Melrose Ave in Los Angeles, CA and is one of hundreds of murals painted in honor of the former Lakers great.


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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.