The Los Angeles Dodgers dedicate their latest bobblehead to Lakers icon Kobe Bryant

LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was the recipient of yet another commemorative gesture. During the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays game on August 8, the Dodgers dedicated a bobblehead in the NBA player’s honor.

The gesture by the Los Angeles Dodgers shed light on the emotional connection that Los Angeles residents share with the late NBA superstar. The Dodgers’ tribute to Bryant is a testament to the LA Lakers player’s immense popularity, which went beyond basketball, the sport through which Bryant became a symbol of skill, performance, and perseverance.

For fans of Bryant, the dedication was even more significant owing to the fact that the athlete was honored on August 8. As per People Magazine, Bryant was honored during the Dodgers vs. Blue Jays game on August 8 because the numerical denotation 8 matched the jersey number that the legendary basketball player wore for an important chunk of his career.

According to a report by Athlon Sports, the Los Angeles Dodgers' special tribute night for Bryant was attended by the late basketball player’s children. Bryant’s daughters, Capri, Bianka, and Natalia, were accompanied by Bryant’s widow, Vanessa Bryant.

As per Athlon Sports, Kobe Bryant’s family received a heartwarming standing ovation from the crowd. It is important to note here that the venue of the event, Dodger Stadium, was jam-packed with a total attendance of 53,825, noted Athlon Sports.

For the fans of Bryant, there was another big surprise at the stadium. The first 40,000 spectators to enter the Dodgers’ stadium on August 8 were each handed a personal bobblehead designed in honor of Bryant, as per People Magazine.

According to the report by People Magazine, the special bobblehead in honor of Bryant portrayed the basketball icon wearing an LA Lakers jersey. However, in the specially designed bobblehead, the late NBA star is shown holding a baseball bat in a swinging position instead of a basketball.

Before the game started, one of Bryant’s daughters, Bianka, threw the first pitch to Freddie Freeman while Capri made the pre-game announcement, noted the news outlet.

Kobe Bryant’s illustrious NBA career, explored

Kobe Bryant represented the NBA team, the LA Lakers, for 20 years. In 1996, Bryant was picked by the Charlotte Hornets as the 13th pick of the NBA draft that year. However, after being picked by the Charlotte Hornets, Bryant was immediately transferred to the LA Lakers.

 

 

 

 

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Bryant became a significant force for the LA Lakers in the years to come. The athlete, along with Shaquille O’Neal, is considered the unarguable force behind the LA Lakers’ spectacular three-peat as NBA champions from 2000 to 2002.

Bryant was also an important contributor in the LA Lakers’ victory at the NBA championship during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

Bryant was the recipient of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2008. As per ESPN, Bryant scored a total of 33,643 points in his 2 decade career in the NBA.

In early 2020, during an ill-fated helicopter ride, Bryant was killed after the helicopter crashed into hills near Calabasas, California, as per USA Today. According to the news outlet, the terrain that the helicopter was charting that day was rough, and the visibility was poor. Jack Cress, who was formerly a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Marine Corps, said about the circumstances surrounding the crash,

“That combination of the low-lying stratus layer, and also the relatively high-rising terrain – (it's) a common and, really, a deadly combination.”

The crash, which killed Kobe Bryant, also led to the death of his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and 8 others, noted USA Today.