Ronnie Singh, also known as Ronnie 2K, announced that the popular mural of Kobe and Gianna Bryant near Crypto.com Arena will be rededicated this week and stay up due to a pledge from NBA 2K.
Ronnie Singh, aka “Ronnie 2K,” announced on NBA Today on Monday that the popular mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, located at 400 W. Pico Blvd in downtown Los Angeles will be re-dedicated this week and stay up thanks to a pledge by NBA 2K. pic.twitter.com/h44anmvPkE
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 23, 2023
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of the Lakers legend, had asked for the public’s help in saving the mural. There had been a petition circling that Vanessa Bryant shared on social media in order to keep the mural up.
It’s great to see that NBA 2K has stepped in to make sure that the mural remains up in Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant and Gianna Bryant were two of the nine victims in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.
Kobe Bryant was inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 2020 class after his passing.
During the 2019-20 season, the Lakers went on to win the NBA Finals over the Miami Heat in the NBA’s Orlando, Fla. bubble. It was a fitting tribute to honor one of the greatest players in franchise and NBA history.
During his playing career, Bryant was named to 18 All-Star teams and won two scoring titles. He was a five-time NBA champion and won the NBA Finals MVP award two times. He played every game of his career with the Lakers, and put on an amazing performance in his final NBA game, scoring 60 points in a win over the Utah Jazz.
To have Bryant’s mural near the arena where the Lakers play not only keeps his legacy alive, but his daughter’s as well. Kobe Bryant had coached his daughter following his playing career, and – even at just 13 years old – she was becoming quite the basketball player herself.
The Lakers legend is on the cover of NBA 2K’s video game this year, so it’s only fitting that the company went to these measures to protect the mural of the Hall of Famer.
For his career, Kobe Bryant averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 32.9 percent from beyond the arc. He will forever be one of the most important figures in Lakers history.
