Photo: Kobe, Gianna Bryant Statue Unveiled By Lakers Outside of Crypto.com Arena

The Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a new statue of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna outside of Crypto.com Arena on Friday.

The statue was revealed in a private ceremony on Friday, per the Los Angeles Times' Chuck Schilken, though when it will be open to the public is not yet known.

The date of the statue reveal was strategic as 8/2/24 signifies both Bryant's numbers, No. 8 and No. 24, as well as the No. 2 that Gianna wore.

The first statue was unveiled on 2/8/24 and is a nine-foot, 4,000-pound bronze memorial featuring Bryant pointing toward the sky, the pose he made after his legendary 81-point game in 2006. That statue also sits outside of Crypto.com Arena.

The third statue will feature Bryant in his signature No. 24, which he wore during the second half of his career, and will be unveiled at a later date.

Of all the legendary players to play for Los Angeles, Bryant is among the most memorable. During his 20-year career, Bryant accumulated 33,643 points, the fourth-most all-time, five championships, a pair of Finals MVPs and a regular season MVP. Bryant was also an 18-time All-Star and was named to the All-NBA First Team 11 times.

After retiring in 2016, Bryant became a mentor to several NBA players who have since gone on to find success. He was also an advocate for women's basketball and the WNBA.

Bryant's legacy in Los Angeles would be remembered with or without a statue, but it's only fitting the Lakers honor him outside the house he helped build.