Sabrina Ionescu paid a heartwarming tribute to Kobe Bryant‘s daughter, Gigi, during her memorable battle with Stephen Curry on Saturday night! She might have lost the battle, but her sincerity shone through. Ionescu, who Kobe mentored in college, is one of the Bryant family’s close friends. And now, Vanessa Bryant has reciprocated the same love.
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During the Saturday night event, the WNBA star was seen wearing a bracelet with Gigi’s name engraved. This adorable gesture was neither missed by the fans nor by Vanessa. She shared ESPN’s post of a close-up look at Ionescu’s wrist bracelet on her Instagram story and used stickers to convey “I love you @sabrina_I.”
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The friendship between Kobe Bryant and Sabrina Ionescu was born out of the dream they shared: to elevate women’s basketball to the next level. And she has already taken major steps to ensure the same by challenging arguably the greatest shooter of all time.
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Speaking of the competitive battle, Ionescu mentioned, “Just to be able to have this be the first of this kind of event and come out here and put on a show but understanding what this means. Excited to change the narrative and be able to do it alongside the greatest to ever do it.” Even facing defeat, she is certainly thrilled to usher in a new change for both leagues. But it wouldn’t have been possible without Kobe.
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She has often given credit to the Black Mamba for being there for her during her toughest times. And she returned the favor by mentoring Kobe’s daughter, Gigi.
Sabrina Ionescu shared a beautiful bond with Kobe Bryant
The WNBA star met Gigi and the late Los Angeles Lakers icon for the first time while securing a 95-53 victory for the Oregon Ducks in 2019. The duo, accompanied by Gigi’s two teammates, took seats courtside to witness the game. Following that, Sabrina dedicated time to coach the Mamba Ballers during the 2019-20 season. Ionescu is one of the few who closely observed Gigi’s playing style. She described how Gigi inherited her father’s impressive skill set.
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Feb 17, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) reacts after the Stephen vs Sebrina three-point challenge during NBA All Star Saturday Night at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Talking about Gigi’s approach to the game and Kobe’s aspirations, Sabrina conveyed, “She smiled all the time, but when it was game time, she was ready to kill. “ She further stated, “If I represented the present of the women’s game, Gigi was the future, and Kobe knew it.”
Sabrina also took the stage at Kobe’s celebration of life ceremony at the Staples Center. Kobe and Gigi would have been proud of the WNBA Star.
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Pragya Vashisth