Kobe Bryant public memorial set for Feb. 24 at L.A.'s Staples Center
The “house that Kobe built” will offer fans the chance to remember the late icon.
Staples Center, home court of the Los Angeles Lakers, will host a public memorial for Kobe Bryant and the eight other victims of last month’s fatal helicopter crash, including Bryant’s daughter Gianna, on Feb. 24. Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, confirmed the news on Instagram.
#2, #24 #20 years as a Laker 💜💛
A post shared by Vanessa Bryant 🦋 (@vanessabryant) on Feb 7, 2020 at 9:49am PST
The memorial’s date, 2/24, corresponds to Bryant’s number 24 jersey with the Lakers, and Gianna’s number 2 as part of Bryant’s Mamba Academy youth basketball team.
In the weeks following Bryant’s death on Jan. 26, thousands of fans converged on the arena to pay their respects, leaving flowers, basketballs, and other tributes outside the arena where Bryant rose to stardom. The makeshift memorial was removed on Monday, with some of the items being given to Vanessa Bryant.
At a home game on Jan. 31, the Lakers honored Bryant and the other victims, with LeBron James delivering an emotional speech.
“The first thing that come to mind, man, is all about family. And as I look around this arena, we’re all grieving, we’re all hurt, we’re all heartbroken,” James said. “But when we’re going through things like this, the best thing you can do is lean on the shoulders of your family.”
The memorial at Staples Center will begin at 10 a.m. Further details will be released in the coming weeks.
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