Errors on base of Kobe Bryant’s statue outside the Lakers’ arena corrected
The 19-foot bronze statue has already become a favorite spot for Lakers fans to take photos and meet up.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Several errors on the marble base of the statue of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant outside the team’s downtown arena have been corrected.
The alterations were completed in time for the Lakers’ regular-season home finale against Golden State on Tuesday evening. The 19-foot bronze statue, unveiled in early February, has already become a popular spot for photos and a meeting place for Lakers fans.
However, the names of ex-NBA athletes, Jose Calderon and Von Wafer, were incorrectly spelled on the statue’s base, which depicted the box score from Bryant’s 81-point game in January 2006. The phrase “Coach’s Decision” was also spelled incorrectly. Additionally, there were minor layout errors in a different area of the statue’s busy base, which showcases numerous of Bryant’s achievements.
A spot that showcases a reproduction of Bryant’s signature has also been altered to read “Kobe,” rather than “Kobe 24.” The bronze statue of Bryant is dressed in the No. 8 jersey that he donned during the initial half of his career.
Vanessa, Bryant’s widow, revealed that the statue is the inaugural one of three intended to pay tribute to Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. They tragically died, along with seven others, in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
