Anthony Davis is joining NBA stars like LeBron James in honoring late Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant with a new tattoo. Davis, 26, got a large tattoo featuring a black mamba snake, a reference to Bryant’s nickname, circled around Bryant’s famous brand logo on his right thigh. Davis’ tattoo artist, Vanessa Aurelia, posted a few Instagram photos of the process, as well as the finished product.
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“Thank you [Anthony Davis] for letting me do this piece for you! It was an honor, and thanks for making my job easy , the hospitality and with the trust,” she wrote, adding hashtags for “RIP Kobe,” “mamba mentality,” and “Laker.” She also credited photographer Jasmine Gomez for snapping the pictures. Scroll through the photos in her Instagram post above to see the tattoo.
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Aurelia is also the tattoo artist behind Davis’ Lakers teammate James’ Bryant-inspired ink, having completed James’ tattoo before the Lakers’ first game back following Bryant’s death. That one, which is also on James’ thigh, features a black mamba, Bryant’s numbers 8 and 24, two roses and a “Mamba 4 Life” inscription.
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James has publicly shared his newest piece of body artwork, but Davis has yet to share his on social media.
Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, Jan. 26 in Calabasas, California, alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna Bryant and seven other victims. The aircraft was reportedly traveling to Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy for a youth basketball tournament. Also on board the helicopter were Gianna’s teammates, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester, along with Alyssa’s parents John Altobelli and Keri Altobelli; Payton’s mother Sarah Chester, girls basketball coach Christina Mauser; and pilot Ara Zoboyan.
The crash has officially been ruled an accident, though the NTSB and other investigators are still attempting to determine an official cause for the crash. The helicopter was attempting to fly through heavy fog that morning and was not equipped with safety software that has become standard in the industry.
The Los Angeles Times reports that an official memorial for Bryant will take place on Monday, Feb. 24 at the Staples Center.
Photo credit: MARK RALSTON / Staff / Getty
