The late NBA legend Kobe Bryant was honored with some unique tributes on his 45th birthday yesterday. However, a big question was, “How did the Los Angeles Lakers honor Kobe?” Well, the $6.4 billion organization’s president Jeanie Buss has finally given a long-awaited answer. Though the tribute will be visible only a year later, the announcement is more than enough for the Lakers fans. Years after the Black Mamba was immortalized along with his former teammate Shaquille O’Neal in China, the Lakers are set to follow suit.

The Chinese have a profound love for basketball, especially for Bryant. So their tribute to the 5x NBA champion, which happened over a decade ago, wasn’t something out of the blue. What is the tribute, though?

How is China one step ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers with the Kobe Bryant tribute?

The Lakers, as an organization, have never failed to credit their superstars with a few honors. Apart from jersey retirements, rings, etc., most NBA organizations do not give their superstars a statue easily. However, considering what Kobe Bryant did in his twenty-year career, it’s only fair that the Lakers give him this huge honor. 

The last one to receive this honor was Shaquille O’Neal, who won 3 back-to-back championships with the Lakers alongside Bryant. The Lakers revealed an impeccable ‘dunking Shaq’ statue in March 2017. LA has immortalized several legends like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaq, etc., but not Bryant. Anyhow, the Lakers fans need not worry about it anymore. 

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The LA organization has announced it will unveil a new Kobe Bryant statue on 2.8.2024. However, the Chinese immortalized the 4-time MVP nearly a decade ago in March 2013. 

Not just Bryant, the Asian country also has a humongous Shaquille O’Neal statue which was a part of the 4x NBA champion’s endorsement with a company. The Lakers might be late to the list, but a Kobe Bryant statue at the Crypto.com Arena will surely be a special one. 

Vanessa Bryant reveals the big tribute on behalf of the Lakers

In a video shared by the Lakers, Vanessa shared, “As you know, Kobe played his 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker…On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters, and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles…we are going to unveil a statue, so his legacy can be celebrated forever.”

A decade later, the LA organization will now immortalize Kobe Bryant for his fans worldwide. What are your thoughts on this? Share in the comments below. 

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