NBA 2K’s intervention has given the famous mural of the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna a new life. The mural is located at 400 W. Pico Boulevard, near the Crypto.com Arena, it represents the city’s respect and admiration for the Lakers legend and his promising young daughter.
The re-dedication announcement came from Ronnie Singh, aka Ronnie 2K, during his appearance on NBA Today this past Monday. This move comes in response to Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, who asked the community to help preserve the mural. There was a petition going around, which she actively promoted on her social media accounts.
.@ronnie2k announces that NBA 2K made a pledge to save the popular mural of Kobe and Gianna Bryant in LA 💜 pic.twitter.com/VRqyAcbuuf
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 23, 2023
Kobe and Gianna’s tragic passing in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020, shocked the basketball world and everyone. The Los Angeles Lakers, the only team Kobe ever played for, interestingly won the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat in the 2019-20 season. Kobe solidified his NBA career with five NBA titles, 18 All-Star team selections, two NBA Finals MVP awards, and an unbelievable 60-point performance against the Utah Jazz in his final game.
The mural near the Crypto.com Arena honors Kobe’s successful career as well as Gianna’s growing talent. Under her father’s mentorship, 13-year-old Gianna was developing her basketball skills, as she wanted to continue Bryant’s legacy on the court.
The NBA 2K24 game is also a tribute to Kobe Bryant
It’s not the first time the NBA 2K franchise has paid tribute to Bryant. In their latest edition of the 2K series: NBA 2K24, the renowned Lakers shooting guard and the Basketball Hall of Famer features the cover of the game, indicating the central theme of this year’s edition.
There are two editions gamers can choose from, the standard Kobe Bryant version and the more exclusive Black Mamba edition, which comes with additional bonus content and in-game upgrades. A highlight of the game this year is the “Mamba Moments” feature which gives players a chance to put themselves into Kobe’s shoes where they can relive some of the best moments from his career.
🐍 MAMBA MOMENTS™ is coming to NBA 2K24 🐍
Relive some of Kobe Bryant’s greatest performances with playable moments from his legendary career, only in #NBA2K24
Pre-order your copy today! ➡️ https://t.co/ddxX7XNxxG pic.twitter.com/GCi0C5teew
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) August 24, 2023
With Bryant’s global popularity and a career filled with unforgettable moments, NBA 2K24 offers an experience of the world of a player who forever changed the game. Such type of initiatives ensure that Bryant’s unmatched legacy and contributions to the world of basketball will be saved for future generations.