David Beckham Joins LeBron & More in Silent Support as Vanessa Pays Tribute to Kobe Bryant

Today would have marked Kobe Bryant’s 47th birthday, a milestone the Lakers legend never got to see after the tragic 2020 helicopter crash that also took the lives of his daughter Gigi and seven others. Though Kobe is no longer here, his legacy continues to live on through his wife, Vanessa Bryant, and their three daughters. To honor him on this special day, Vanessa shared an emotional tribute on Instagram, posting a heartfelt picture of her kissing Kobe during one of their memorable trips to Italy.

While the photo itself was warm and nostalgic, it was Vanessa’s heartfelt caption that truly touched fans: “We love and miss you and Gigi so much. Sending our love to you. Happy birthday, baby. @kobebryant ❤️” To make the moment even more special, she paired the post with the song “Sending My Love” by Zhané—a perfect choice that captured the depth of love, loss, and everlasting connection. Kobe’s and Vanessa’s well-wishers were quick to flood the comments, sharing their love and support.

LeBron James showed his love for Kobe under Vanessa Bryant’s post, commenting “🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎🤎.” James also reposted the Los Angeles Lakers’ birthday wish for Kobe on his Instagram, sharing an old picture of the two together and writing, “Happy Birthday, Kobe Bryant! 🥹🐍” — as if fighting back tears. Now 40 and still playing for Kobe’s former team, LeBron formed his bond with Bryant while teammates on the gold-medal-winning 2008 Beijing “Redeem Team” and again during the 2012 London Olympics. After joining the Lakers in the 2018-19 season, LeBron gave an emotional speech to fans after Kobe’s passing in 2020, cementing how much the Mamba meant to him.

David Beckham also made sure to show his love, commenting “💜💜 @vanessabryant” under the post. Their bond runs deeper than many know, and we’ll look into it in more detail later, but for now, Beckham paid a touching tribute on his Instagram Story, writing, “Thinking about you today big man. Sending love to you and the girls @vanessabryant.”

Matt Barnes, too, shared his love with a heartfelt comment, “❤️❤️.” Barnes had one of the closest friendships with Kobe and posted a throwback on Instagram with the caption, “Happy 47th Bro Love & Miss You …. 💜💛🐍♾️ #LLKB24.” In the picture, Kobe is seen smiling wide while holding Barnes’ twin sons, Carter and Isaiah, who had a special bond with him and lovingly called him “Uncle.” Kobe even trained the boys personally, giving them a private workout for their 10th birthday and mentoring them through their basketball journey — a memory Barnes continues to hold close.

Pau Gasol’s wife, Cat Gasol, also shared her love by commenting, “Soulmates ♾️.” Pau and his family have always been like family to the Bryants, even becoming godparents to Kobe and Vanessa’s children. Pau himself posted a heartfelt tribute, writing, “Happy Birthday, hermano. I miss you and love you always ❤️.”

WNBA stars Napheesa Collier and Sabrina Ionescu also showed their support, dropping “❤️❤️❤️” on Vanessa’s post. Collier, who built a lasting friendship with Vanessa after her UConn days, continues to honor Kobe and Gigi’s memory. Sabrina, meanwhile, shared a unique connection with Kobe and Gianna through their shared dream of elevating women’s basketball—training with Kobe, befriending Gigi, and carrying the Mamba legacy forward.

David Beckham and his special bond with Kobe Bryant

When David Beckham moved to Los Angeles in 2007 to play for LA Galaxy, he found an unexpected friendship with Lakers legend Kobe Bryant. During a chat with his former MU teammate Gary Neville, Beckham revealed just how much he admired the Mamba: “Kobe was because you know I was in LA at a time where, you know, he was unbelievable. I mean, he was always unbelievable,” he said, recalling the electric rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics back then.

Beckham became a regular courtside, refusing to leave until the final buzzer, just so he could watch Kobe’s magic unfold: “Sometimes I would only go to games just to watch that clock go down to the last 2:00 minutes knowing that we were about to witness something special.” Over time, the two bonded deeply, respecting each other as athletes, family men, and global icons.

When Kobe tragically passed away in 2020, Beckham’s grief was profound. Sharing his heartbreak on Instagram, he wrote: “It’s taken me hours to work out what to write and still my words won’t ever be enough to describe how I am feeling after the tragic loss of Kobe. This was one special athlete, husband, father and friend… The commitment Kobe showed to his sport was inspiring, to go through the pain and to finish a game off like only he could inspired me to try to be better.”

Even years later, Beckham continues to honor Kobe and Gianna, from emotional tributes on anniversaries to sending flowers to Vanessa and the girls with a touching note: “I hope I inspire my children just as much as your dad did. Thinking about you all today.”

And the admiration was mutual. Kobe Bryant, who spent part of his childhood in Italy where soccer is a way of life, was a huge football fan and held Beckham in the highest regard.

Speaking about Beckham’s move to LA, Kobe praised his influence on American soccer: “He can definitely help soccer become established here. He has already had a huge impact. It just takes a little time. David is already playing to big crowds everywhere.”

Kobe often spoke fondly of their conversations about life in LA and admitted that his own love for soccer shaped his basketball game: “I played soccer all the time in Italy…Soccer definitely helped my basketball—the footwork, the foot speed, just the rhythm of the game.” He even once joked about wanting to “kick a ball around with David one day—and maybe get him on a basketball court!”