Nearly six years have passed since the heartbreaking helicopter crash that took the lives of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Yet their impact on basketball lives on through the players who still honor their legacy. And the latest gesture from the No. 1 UConn Huskies and No. 16 USC Trojans game left fans teary-eyed.

In front of a little over 9,000 attendees, every single player from the Huskies and Trojans wore different pairs of Bryant’s signature sneakers, turning the high-profile matchup into a tribute. But what made this moment even more special was its connection to Gigi, who once dreamed of playing at UConn.

The 2025-26 academic year would have been Gigi’s freshman season in college.

Rather than just pushing one edition of the Black Mamba’s sneaker collection, the Huskies revealed a rotation featuring the Kobe 6 “Statue of Liberty,” the Kobe 5 “Year of the Snake,” and the Kobe 3 “Christmas.”

Naturally, the Trojans showcased pairs like the Kobe 4 “CHBL,” the Kobe 9 EM “Mambacita,” and the Kobe 9 Elite “Moonwalker.”

The Huskies’ star guard, Azzi Fudd, wore a red-and-gold “Year of the Mamba” colorway featuring a snake wrapping around each shoe, which Nike released in January to coincide with the Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Snake.

Bryant’s impact on women’s basketball only grew after he retired from the NBA. He became one of the sport’s loudest advocates, often seen courtside at WNBA games and youth tournaments, proudly cheering for Gianna as she developed into one of the most promising young players in the country.

The veteran coach, Geno Auriemma, has spoken openly about the bond the Los Angeles legend shared with Gigi and the impression they both left on the UConn program during their visit to the Huskies’ facilities.

“He was allowing Gigi to be Gigi and not Kobe Bryant’s daughter,” Auriemma said at a memorial for Bryant in 2020. “In today’s day and age, that’s a hell of a thing for parents to be able to do.”

Bryant’s sneakers remain athletes’ favorite choice to this day. Of the 569 players who appeared across the 30 NBA teams last season, Hoopshype’s Chris Gunther’s source said 136 wore Bryant’s sneakers, which is 23.9% of the league population.

WNBA’s superstar Caitlin Clark once called herself “a Kobe person” in the past, praising the hoops legend’s Kobe 6s in particular.

The emotion around tonight extended beyond the college players on the floor, as several legends of the game were present courtside. UConn icon Diana Taurasi made the trip to LA and was seen pre-game alongside USC greats Cheryl Miller and Tina Thompson.

Meanwhile, JuJu Watkins, who is not playing this season due to her ACL injury, returned to support her teammates from the sidelines.

With this heartfelt tribute to one of the game’s all-time greats, once the ball went up, the night quickly shifted from heartfelt remembrance to blowout, as the Huskies continued their undefeated run!

The UConn Huskies batter the USC Trojans on the floor!

According to ESPN, the game was 85.7% in favor of the Huskies before tip-off, and coach Auriemma ensured his team delivered. Fudd led the way with 17 points as they secured a 28-point win (79-51) on Saturday, snapping the Trojans’ 20-game home winning streak in Los Angeles. Their best player, Watkins, watched from the bench as she continues to rehab the same injury that kept her sidelined when Auriemma’s side eliminated them in last season’s Elite Eight.

The Trojans briefly grabbed a 9-8 lead, but it was only an uphill battle after that. Fudd and Co. closed the first quarter on a 15-0 run and extended it to a 24-2 burst that pushed the lead to 32-11 early in the second quarter.

By halftime, the visitors were in cruise control, holding the Trojans to just seven made field goals and a 39-17 deficit.

Defensively, freshman standout Jazzy Davidson was limited to 10 points on 3-of-13 shooting, unable to find any rhythm. Even when the Trojans tried to pack the paint, the Huskies made them pay from outside by knocking down 37% from behind the arc.

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Outside of Fudd, Ashlynn Shade added another 15 points, and Sarah Strong finished with 14 points and seven rebounds, to secure the Huskies’ 10th win of their so-far-perfect 2025-26 NCAA season.

The Huskies will play their next game against the Marquette Golden Eagles on December 17.

But it’s the following game when they will lock horns with the No. 11-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, that is predicted to be 90.9% in favor of Auriemma’s side!

The Trojans, on the other hand, play the Cal Poly Mustangs next, a program that shouldn’t be too tough to overcome on December 19.