Lakers to unveil Kobe Bryant statue outside arena on Feb. 8 - ESPN

The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of Kobe Bryant outside their downtown arena on Feb. 8.

The 17-time NBA champion Lakers announced the plan Thursday to honor Bryant, the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history and a beloved mainstay of the franchise for 20 seasons. Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, died in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

Bryant participated in the initial planning of his statue after his retirement in 2016, according to the Lakers. He is the sixth former Lakers player and seventh team employee to be honored with a statue in the so-called «Star Plaza» outside the arena, which has been the Lakers' home since 1999.

«As you know, Kobe played his entire 20-year NBA career as a Los Angeles Laker,» Bryant's wife, Vanessa, said in a video posted at 8:24 this morning. «Since arriving in this city and joining the Lakers organization, he felt at home here, playing in the City of Angels. On behalf of the Lakers, my daughters and me, I am so honored that, right in the center of Los Angeles, in front of the place known as the house that Kobe built, we are going to unveil his statue so that his legacy can be celebrated forever.»

The 2/8/24 date of the unveiling is notable: Kobe wore No. 8 and No. 24 during each half of his Lakers career, while Gianna wore No. 2 while playing youth basketball. The Bryants were flying together to a basketball competition with seven others when their helicopter crashed in fog in Calabasas, California.

Bryant's statue will join those of Lakers greats Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and broadcaster Chick Hearn. Star Plaza also includes statues of the Los Angeles Kings' Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Dustin Brown and announcer Bob