Kobe Bryant’s No. 24 Jersey Retired at Italian Basketball Stadium Where His Dad Would Play

Kobe Bryant has been honored in a multitude of ways since his death on Jan. 26, and the former NBA star’s jersey number of 24 has now been retired at a basketball stadium in Italy where his father used to play.

Bryant’s father, Joe Bryant, played in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers for four seasons. He then played for the San Diego Clippers and the Houston Rockets before heading to Europe, playing seven seasons in Italy with multiple Italian clubs. ESPN reports that the first Italian team Joe played for retired Kobe’s jersey in a pre-game ceremony on Wednesday.

A video shows the jersey being lifted into the rafters of the arena before the crowd, holding yellow signs, begins to shout Kobe’s name. “You began to play here and as an adult you made us dream. Our colors are with you in the sky,” read a banner that fans were holding.

The jersey was retired at the PalaSojourner arena, where NPC Rieti plays. The ceremony was held before the team’s game against Scafati in Italy’s second division.

Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who died with her father and seven others in a helicopter crash last month, had her own jersey retired this week. On Wednesday, Gianna’s school, Harbor Day School in Newport Beach, California, held a ceremony to retire the teen’s No. 2 jersey, both students and staff sharing their memories of Gianna. Gianna’s mom, Vanessa Bryant, shared photos and several videos from the ceremony on Instagram along with a message to her daughter.

“My Gigi. I love you! I miss you,” she wrote. “You’ve taught us all that no act of kindness is ever too small. Mommy is still and will ALWAYS be so proud of you mamacita.”

On Feb. 24, Bryant and Gianna will be honored with a public memorial at Staples Center in Los Angeles, where Bryant played for much of his 20-season career with the Lakers. The date is significant for the family as it combines Bryant’s jersey number, 24, Gianna’s jersey number, 2, and 20, the number of years Bryant spent as a Los Angeles Laker.

Photo Credit: Christian Petersen/Getty