For supporters of the late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, two days in late August had special meaning.
On August 23, Bryant will be 18. Because the date (8/24) corresponds to the No. 8 and No. 24 jerseys the Hall of Famer wore during his 20-year NBA career, the following day is known as Kobe Bryant Day in the cities of Los Angeles and Orange County.
After the adored athlete and his daughter Gianna were among the nine people killed in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, in Calabasas, those two days are bittersweet in Southern California and elsewhere.
The life and legacy of Bryant are much praised. On what would have been his 45th birthday, people posted touching condolences to Bryant, who became a trending topic on social media on Wednesday.
“Happy birthday, baby. I love you always & forever. ❤️,” his wife, Vanessa Bryant, wrote on Instagram. She also shared pictures of her and her spouse touching hands, kissing, and hugging.
One of many who responded on Bryant’s tweet was Jeanie Buss. “A timeless and inspiring love story ❤️❤️❤️❤️,” the Lakers owner wrote.
Drake, a rapper, paid tribute to Bryant during his performance on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena after a spectator allegedly threw a No. 24 Lakers shirt onto the stage. I’m going to hold this up because we need to give Kobe some love. Make some noise for Kobe,” the hip-hop star instructed the Los Angeles crowd, to which they eagerly complied.
via Wednesday morning, Nike decided to reintroduce the well-liked Bryant-branded shoe line, releasing the Kobe 8 Protro Halos via its SNKRS app and in select retail locations. The Halo idea and triple-white hue were conceived by Vanessa Bryant, and new shoes in the series will be released each year on Kobe’s birthday, according to a Nike news release.
When Vanessa told ESPN at the time that it had become too difficult for regular fans, rather than collectors, to buy her husband’s memorabilia, Bryant’s estate first allowed his deal with Nike to expire in 2021. She declared that the collaboration with Nike would resume in March 2022.