Kobe Bryant has left a legacy in the NBA like no other. Throughout his 20-year-long career, Kobe was renowned for his remarkable basketball skills and mama mentality. The level of determination that Kobe had to uplift his performance with the goal of winning was not a secret. Despite this, there was only one time that even one of the greatest basketball players lost, and that to with a smile.
Notably, he had a win percentage of .621 in his illustrious NBA career. Kobe made his debut in the league in 1996. Interestingly, while he is known to be loyal to the Lakers throughout his career, that was not the team that picked him. The Charlotte Hornets picked Kobe as the 13th overall in round 1 only to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Back in 2015, Kobe challenged his wife Vanessa Bryant to shoot while standing on the free-throw line. Kobe took to his Facebook to share this proud loss when he was smiling. Interestingly, this challenge took place in an empty staples center at the odd hour of 4 AM. He also revealed that Vanessa was able to shoot after three attempts.
This moment strengthened their status as an inspirational couple. The two always had each other back and were each other’s biggest cheerleaders. Even after the tragic death of Kobe in a helicopter crash, Vanessa continues to keep his legacy and dreams alive.
Vanessa Bryant dedicated a basketball court in Compton to Kobe Bryant
Vannesa Bryant always finds one way or another to honor her late husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gigi Bryant. In June 2023, Vanessa uncovered a remodeled basketball court in Compton that is dedicated to Kobe and Gigi. The Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and BodyArmor collaborated to open this court along with the mural.
Notably, the mural has Kobe and Gigi‘s faces along with a heart that is filled with the lines and textures of a basketball ball. Additionally, both of their jersey numbers, 24 and 2 are embedded at the center with ‘forever‘ written just below it. Vanessa took to her social media handle to express her gratitude towards the fans who showed up.
Vanessa Bryant showing off the new murals in honor of Kobe Bryant and her daughter GiGi Bryant in Compton. 🕊️🔥 pic.twitter.com/x9Qxebii8l
— No Jumper (@nojumper) June 16, 2023
She stated, “Thank you for showing up and showing out for our exclusive court reopening at Wilson Park in honor of Kobe and Gianna.” Vanessa continued to appreciate the donors and said that they were the ones who made this possible. She revealed that every single dollar that is donated and the sales of the merch goes towards making a positive impact for underserved athletes and boys and girls in sports.
