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[Saba Sports News] During the unveiling of Kobe Bryant’s statue outside the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, delivered a memorable remark about the statue.
At the press conference, she addressed the attendees, emphasizing that Kobe himself chose the statue’s pose, dismissing any potential criticism with a straightforward message: “For the record, Kobe picked the pose you’re about to see. So if anyone has any issues with it, tough.” The statue captures the late Kobe Bryant pointing to the sky, a gesture he made after scoring 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006, with his full name and “Black Mamba” nickname inscribed at the base.
In addition to this statue, two more tributes to Bryant are planned: one featuring him and his daughter Gianna, who tragically died with him in the 2020 helicopter crash, and another showcasing him in his number 24 jersey. Kobe Bryant’s statue joins those of Lakers legends like Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, and Elgin Baylor outside the arena.