The latest Los Angeles Lakers rumors have nothing to do with the 2023-24 team or any roster building, they have to do with the greatest Laker of all time, Kobe Bryant, and how the team potentially plans to honor him.
There was never a doubt in anyone’s mind that Kobe would get a statue in front of Crypto.com Arena when he retired in 2016. As the greatest player in franchise history, it was a matter of if, not when, that statue would be unveiled for the fanbase.
Jeanie Buss herself confirmed the obvious. And while the team has not yet announced any concrete plans, the latest Lakers rumors detail a potentially awesome idea that Buss and Co. have in store.
Inside sources told the Daily Mail that the Lakers’ plan is to unveil Kobe’s statue on August 8, 2024 to honor his two numbers. Additionally, according to the report, his daughter Gianna is rumored to be incorporated in the statue.
BREAKING: Kobe Bryant statue outside LA's https://t.co/U8AF0mSPSI Arena will incorporate his daughter Gigi and – in a nod to his jersey numbers, 8 and 24 – will be unveiled by the Lakers on August 8, 2024, per @DailyMail pic.twitter.com/GAnRYTxX2Y
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 9, 2023
Lakers rumors: Potential plans for Kobe Bryant statue still aren’t confirmed
Nothing has been announced or confirmed by the organization to this point, so keep that in mind. While the reported plans around a Kobe statue make sense, fans should hold off on making plans for the statue reveal until the team actually confirms and locks down a date.
August 2024 is a great time to make it happen and incorporating Gianna Bryant into the statue would be a classy move by the Lakers organization. When the eventual date does get announced there is no doubt that Lakers fans are going to flock to Crypto.com Arena to see the statue in person.
The last statue that the Lakers unveiled was given to Shaquille O’Neal back in 2017. Alongside O’Neal, there are statues for Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and broadcaster Chick Hearn.
Several Los Angeles Kings players are also immortalized in front of Crypto.com Arena. Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Bob Miller and Dustin Brown all have statues. Retired boxer Oscar De La Hoya does as well.