is celebrating the debut of an “extra special” statue honoring late husband and their daughter, .
On Friday, August 2, a bronze statue, titled “Girl Dad,” displayed outside Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles was unveiled. The artwork captures the close bond between Kobe and Gianna, depicting them courtside at a Lakers game on December 19, 2019. Kobe is dressed in an orange WNBA hoodie and a Philadelphia Eagles beanie, with his arm around Gianna. The duo is surrounded by large angel wings.
At the base of the statue, a plaque features a quote from Kobe: “Gianna is a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She’s got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”
Alongside a video from the unveiling, Vanessa wrote via Instagram, “This statue of my Gigi and Kobe is extra special. This moment was especially important to all of us. I knew it was going to be our favorite.”
“Hope you all enjoy this special place to visit,” the caption continued. “We love you Kobe and Gigi❤️❤️8•2•24 Mamba & Mambacita.”
Kobe died at age 41 in a helicopter crash alongside 13-year-old Gianna and seven of their friends. Kobe is survived by Vanessa and their other daughters Natalia, 21, Bianka, 7, and Capri, 5.
The statue commemorates not only Kobe’s legendary career but also his commitment to supporting women’s sports, which Vanessa highlighted during her speech at the event.
“We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi,” she said in a press release via ABC News. “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. 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,” Vanessa continued. “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.”
Reflecting on Gianna’s potential, Vanessa acknowledged the challenges she would have faced in achieving the same recognition and opportunities as her father, simply because she was a girl. “We were faced with the harsh reality that no matter how great Gianna was or could be … she would not have had the same benefits and opportunities that her dad and young men currently have,” Vanessa said.
She concluded with a powerful call to action, urging support for young girls 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.”
