Lakers unveil 19ft statue of Kobe Bryant – video

The Los Angeles Lakers have honored Kobe Bryant with a 20-foot-tall bronze statue outside their downtown arena. The 5,000-pound statue depicts the late superstar in his white No. 8 jersey with his right index finger raised, showing his pose as he left the court after his 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006.

Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, said at the dedication ceremony that the statue is the first of three that will be created in honor of the five-time NBA champion and leading scorer in Lakers history. Another statue will depict Bryant in his No. 24 jersey, which he wore during the second half of his career, while a third will depict Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who died along with him and seven others in a helicopter crash in January 2020.