There was plenty of buzz in Los Angeles on Thursday night with the Lakers set to unveil a statue of Kobe Bryant in front of Crypto.com Arena. One of the biggest conversations leading up to the reveal was what the pose would be.
Would it be his iconic fadeaway shot? The infamous NBA championship picture? Perhaps even his notable jersey bite? The answer was none of the above.
While Bryant had a number of memorable poses throughout his NBA career, the one that was chosen was him pointing up at the crowd. The moment came during his historic 81-point performance, which came during a win over the Raptors in the 2006 NBA season.
Kobe Bryant’s (first) statue is walking off from the 81 point game. pic.twitter.com/9bQiTVhkxE
— Kobe Highlights & Motivation (@kobehighlight) February 9, 2024
For any fans hating on the decision to go with that pose, Bryant's widow, Vanessa, had something to say — take it up with Bean.
"For the record, Kobe picked the pose you're about to see. So if anybody has any issue with it, tough sh*t."
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 9, 2024
- Vanessa Bryant 🤣 pic.twitter.com/zGkdVn9fYf
"For the record, Kobe picked the pose you're about to see," Bryant said during Thursday's unveiling. "So, if anybody has any issue with it, tough s—."
The statue is set to be the first of three that will be placed in front of "The House that Kobe Built" to honor his legacy to the Lakers and the game of basketball.
MORE: More to know about Kobe Bryant's statue outside Crypto.com Arena
Kobe Bryant statue
Bryant's statue was unveiled in front of a star-studded crowd in Los Angeles on Thursday night. The date — Feb. 8, 2024 — was picked for a specific reason, as it represents Bryant's numbers with the Lakers (8 and 24) and the number of his late daughter, Gigi, who played basketball wearing No. 2.
For Kobe. For the die-hard Laker fans. For our family.
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 9, 2024
Mamba forever. pic.twitter.com/uExf0oEWgY
In addition to the first piece of art, two more statues will be showcased at some point. There will be one with Bryant wearing his No. 24, and another one with him and Gigi.
What artist did the Kobe Bryant statue?
The Kobe Bryant statue at Crypto.com Arena was created by sculptor Julie Rotblatt Amrany of the Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt Amrany.
Rotblatt Amrany and her husband, Omri Amrany, have done many notable sculptures of athletes, including the monument of Michael Jordan that sits outside of Chicago's United Center.
More recently, Rotblatt Amrany partnered with the University of South Carolina to create a bronze statue of A'ja Wilson, which was unveiled in 2021.