The Los Angeles Lakers are a franchise that has seen some of the biggest stars in the NBA. Be it the likes of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or LeBron James now, the Lakers always have had a superstar in their ranks. But perhaps the biggest and the most influential superstar they have seen is Kobe Bryant.
Bryant, who graced the NBA in 1996, was one of the most influential players of his generation and won an incredible 5 championships in the 20 years he played with the team. After an illustrious career with the Purple And Gold, the ‘Black Mamba’ was living his best life off the court.
While many expected Bryant to succeed off the court as much as he did on the court, the legendary guard, unfortunately, passed away in 2020 in a horrifying helicopter crash, leaving his family and the NBA community in utter disbelief. Ever since Kobe’s death, players and others have been paying special tributes to the legend.
But it seems like his former team, the Lakers, are trying to go the extra mile for the legend. There have been rumors that the Purple And Gold are planning to build a statue of Kobe in front of the Crypto.com arena. In a recent interview, owner Jeanie Buss revealed that the management is conducting meetings and might be taking a decision pretty soon.
“Those are all things we are discussing internally. Rest assured, we haven’t forgotten anything. But it has to be done the right way and at the right time.”
Given the aura of a player like Kobe, it is more than well-deserved. While the Lakers were already a powerhouse when Bryant arrived, they reached an upper echelon with the ‘Black Mamba’ as their leader. Not only did Kobe stay with the Lake show in the best moments, but he was also there with the team in the toughest moments as well.
Given how influential of a leader Kobe was, this statue will be a fitting gift for the late legend and will cement his legacy as the greatest Laker of all time.
