With Aug. 23 being Kobe Bryant’s birthday and Aug. 24 considered “Mamba Day” in Los Angeles and Orange County, this is a perfect time to reflect on the Black Mamba and his continued impact on the Lakers.
It’s impossible for a fan to attend a home Lakers game and not feel Kobe’s presence. Regardless of how you get to the stadium, you are guaranteed to pass one of the over 346 murals of Bryant that can be found in the Southern California area.
When one of those murals is in danger of being lost, people
step up to protect it. A prime example of this is when NBA2K helped save an iconic Kobe, Gianna Bryant mural in downtown Los Angeles, ensuring it didn’t become just another billboard.
Once fans are near the front of the stadium, there are two statues currently up in Bryant’s honor, with a third on the way. The first one is the image of him raising his finger over his head as he walks off the court after scoring a career-high 81 points against the Raptors.
It’s not hard to find Kobe’s statue; it’s the one with dozens and dozens of people standing in line waiting to take pictures in front of it.
His second statue is equally epic and touching. It’s placed near the Kobe Bryant Entrance at Crypto.com Arena and features Bryant and his daughter Gigi.
This statue demonstrates Kobe as the “Girl Dad.” It features both Kobe and Gigi sitting together, with Bryant kissing his daughter as she leans in smiling.
The statue depicts Kobe and Gigi at a Lakers game and there is public seating available so fans can pay their respects and share a similar moment with them.
Once inside, Kobe’s presence is undeniable. You’ll see plenty of Kobe posters, murals, photos and fans wearing Bryant jerseys.
As people take their seats and look up to the rafters, they’ll see both of Kobe’s jersey numbers retired. When you look at the 17 banners that hang, five of them were only possible due to Bryant’s contributions.
The players on the Lakers also keep Bryant’s legacy alive and well.
Luka Dončić donated to restore a vandalized Gianna and Kobe mural this past season, and he constantly speaks about embracing Los Angeles.
Austin Reaves shares his admiration for Kobe every chance he gets and called Bryant his “Goat” this summer, yes, even over his teammate LeBron James.
LeBron also often shares the love and respect he has for Kobe.
He has called Kobe a “legend” on numerous occasions, and when James passed Kobe on the all-time scoring list, Bryant congratulated him on Twitter, telling him to continue moving the game forward.
It was the last social media post Bryant ever shared as he passed away in a helicopter accident the following day.
The Lakers have had a long list of legendary players donning the purple and gold uniform, but Bryant stands tallest as the king of all kings. He’s No. 1 in franchise history in points scored and minutes played, won five titles and was a Laker for his entire 20-year career.
Beyond Bryant’s achievements, it was who he was as a basketball player and a person that made all of Los Angeles fans of Kobe, regardless of how many Lakers games they watched.
Kobe constantly talked about the “Mamba Mentality” and being your best self by going all in on your craft, whatever it was.
He did so as a player and with his creative works, like “Dear Basketball,” which won an Oscar.
Teams, ideally, are a representation of their respective cities. And the Lakers are a prime example of this. Yes, a Lakers game will feature celebrities and have plenty of pomp and circumstance, just like the city does, but also, you’d better win.
Lakers fans will give you their heart, but you’d better provide them with a title in return. If you fail, you can do like any other person who arrives in L.A. aspiring to be successful does when they fall short, and go somewhere with a less demanding expectation.
No one understood this better than Bryant. He not only matched these lofty expectations, but he set a new standard.
In a conversation with Jalen Rose of ESPN, Kobe talked about why he was so against having to convince a player to join the Lakers.
“You know, the thing about this franchise is that you shouldn’t need recruiting to come in it,” Bryant said. “It takes a special person to want to play for this franchise, and take the pressure that comes along with playing for this franchise. The pressure of following Magic [Johnson]’s footsteps, myself and the dynasty that we’ve had, it takes a special person to do that.
“And if I need to convince you come here, to carry that legacy forward, then you ain’t the one to be it.”
The Lakers used the slogan “Leave a Legacy” during the 2019-20 title run and wore their “Black Mamba” jerseys throughout the postseason, winning all but one game in the postseason when they wore that uniform.
It’s a shame Kobe wasn’t able to witness what that Lakers team accomplished, but the best way to honor him is to keep on pursuing greatness always in all ways.
His life may have been cut short, but Kobe’s legacy is as strong as ever. He has set an example for what having a good work ethic means and that’s something we can all aspire to achieve.
As Magic Johnson has stated before, Kobe’s the greatest Laker ever and while he may be gone, legends truly never die.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
