Report: Gianna Bryant Announced as Honorary Draftee of 2020 WNBA Draft

Published by

Robert Marvi

April 17, 2020 11:47 pm

Nearly three months after the tragic helicopter death of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others, the tributes continue to pour in.

On Friday, the younger Bryant, as well as Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, were made honorary picks of the 2020 WNBA Draft.

Due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, the draft is being held remotely. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert is presiding over the proceedings from her home in New Jersey.

Altobelli and Chester played on the same basketball team as the younger Bryant. On the day of the accident, all were en route to a basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy in Ventura County.

Altobelli’s parents, John and Keri, were also on the helicopter that crashed just outside of the greater Los Angeles area on Jan. 26. John Altobelli had been a baseball coach at Orange Coast College for 27 years.

Robert Marvi

Robert is a native of Santa Monica, Calif., and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been an avid NBA fan since he was a little kid in the mid '90s and fell in love with the Nick Van Exel-led Lakers teams. He truly cherishes the Kobe Bryant-era of Lakers basketball and the five world championships that came with it, and is looking forward to the team's next NBA title.