Vanessa Bryant shared a birthday tribute to her late husband Kobe on what would have been his 45th birthday.
Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers legend, tragically passed away in a helicopter accident – along with his daughter and seven others – in January of 2020.
The Hall of Famer created an amazing legacy as a basketball player, father and screenwriter.
During his playing career, Kobe 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.
The Laker legend played every single game of his NBA career with the franchise, not only leading it to great success, but putting up historic numbers in the process.
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.
Vanessa and Kobe Bryant were married in April of 2001, very early in the Laker legend’s NBA career. Together they had four daughters.
The five-time champion had an amazing impact on the game of basketball and the current generation of players now in the NBA. He not only thrived on the court, but off the court he was on his way to an amazing career as well.
Kobe Bryant wrote and narrated “Dear Basketball,” an animated film that won him an Oscar in 2018 for Best Animated Short Film. His passion for the game of basketball was evident in his playing career and in the film, which is one of the reasons why he was always so endearing to Lakers and NBA fans.
The 18-time All-Star left many memories for fans throughout his career, hitting countless game-winners and leading the Lakers on several deep playoff runs. In his final game for the Lakers, Kobe Bryant dropped an amazing 60 points against the Utah Jazz, leading the Lakers to a win.
It was a fitting ending to the career of one of the greatest scorers in NBA history.
While the Lakers legend is no longer with us, his legacy lives through his family and all of those around the NBA that honor his memory. Vanessa Bryant’s post is just another reminder of how loved Kobe Bryant was and still is.
