Kobe Bryant: Everything We Know About Lakers Star’s Celebration of Life

Kobe Bryant, his 13-year daughter Gianna Bryant and seven other people died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, and it shook the entire sports and entertainment world. There have been a number of tributes for the victims, but the biggest one of all is on the way. The city of Los Angeles is honoring Bryant and the victims later this month, and it will be a formal way to say goodbye to the Los Angeles Lakers legend.

Bryant started his career with the Lakers in 1996. He was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets, but the Lakers made a trade for him shortly after the Hornets selected him. That turned out to be a great decision as Bryant helped the Lakers win five NBA title in the 2000s and Bryant won the NBA Finals MVP award twice. He was also named to the All-Star team 18 times and was named All-Star MVP four times.

Here’s a look at everything we know about Bryant’s celebration of life.

Date

The memorial service will be held on Feb. 24, which will be close to one month after the crash. And there’s a reason the service will be held on that day: 24 is Bryant’s jersey number. Also, the service is being held on the second month of the year, which coincides with Gianna’s No. 2 jersey number. 

Location

The service will be held at the “house that Kobe built.” The Staples Center opened shortly after Bryant arrived in Los Angeles, and he won a lot of games there. Last week, the Lakers had a special ceremony before their first game since the crash, and LeBron James gave an emotional speech.

Alternative Location Considered

There were some fans who wanted the service a bigger venue since the Staples Center holds onlu 20,000 fans. There were reports of the celebration being held at the L.A. Coliseum, but when it was all said and done, officials wanted it at the home of the Lakers.

Mayor Had It Planned

Los Angles Mayor Eric Garcetti first announced< plans to honor Bryant, last week. However, he did not information on the location or date at that time. 

“There will absolutely be a memorial to mark the contributions of this incredible man and not only him, but to commemorate the loss of his daughter and all the other families that were there,” Garcetti, 48, said. “We don’t have that date finalized but we’ve been talking every day to the Lakers, and most importantly, to [Bryant’s widow, Vanessa] as well.”

Vanessa Bryant Invites Fans

On Friday, Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, shared an invitation to the service that shows the location, time and date. It’s very likely Staples Center will be flooded with Lakers fans on Feb. 24.

Nine Victims

Here’s a look at the nine victims who will be honored at the service. Three of the victims were on Gianna’s basketball team while one was a college baseball coach. They were all headed to Bryant’s Mamba Academy for a basketball tournament. 

Not the End

With this being an official public memorial service, this doesn’t mean the tributes will end. This tragedy hit the city hard, and it will take a while for the community to move on. But as it was said earlier, fans will now have an opportunity to remember Bryant and say goodbye to the legend.