It's been four years since the tragic passing of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. Following their deaths, the league has made many tributes to the superstar, the latest being the unveiling of the first of three statues that will stand in front of Crypto.com Arena indefinitely of the shooting guard. In the game following the unveiling, fans spotted a moment between Bryant's daughter Natalia and former Lakers player Pau Gasol that has me in my feels.
Natalia Bryant sat in the crowd watching the Lakers play the Denver Nuggets, and she was seated next to former Lakers star and friend of Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol. CBS Sports Host Ashley Nicole Moss showed the image of them during the game, and I think I need some tissues for the tears rolling down my face:
🥹 pic.twitter.com/6WIoCUaEi6February 9, 2024
Outside of their one scuffle playing against each other, which is chronicled in Netflix's The Redeem Team, Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant had a close friendship. Clearly, to this day he's tight with the whole Bryant family, as evidenced by Natalia resting her head on his shoulder as they watched the game.
While Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal's tense relationship led to a dysfunctional Lakers team, Bryant became great friends with Pau Gasol after winning two championships.
Since his passing, Gasol has remained a supportive presence for the family which is why he was seated with Natalia Bryant at the game. Obviously, we can learn so much about these two legendary players from the documentaries about Bryant, but the image just speaks volumes about the friendship they had.
Even years after Kobe Bryant's death, many seem to be impacted it and what he meant to not just fans of the Los Angeles Lakers but the entire NBA. Jimmy Fallon and other celebrities had plenty to say on past anniversaries of his death, and as more time passes, I'm sure there will be even more stories about Bryant and other notable names.
As mentioned, the statue is the first of three to go up around Crypto.com Arena. In addition to the one of Kobe Bryant sporting the No. 8 and holding up his finger, there will also be one of him wearing his jersey with the number 24, as well as another statue with him and his late daughter Gianna. All will effectively chronicle the stages of the athlete's career, from his youth to his later career, as well as his role as a father outside of the game.
For those wishing to learn more about Kobe Bryant, you should definitely check out The Redeem Team, which is available to stream with a Netflix subscription. It's a great jumping-off point to learning about the type of player Bryant was and can be a great gateway to other documentaries discussing the athlete and his legacy in depth.
