“Kobe picked the pose you’re about to see,” stated Vanessa Bryant on the unveiling of the statue honoring her late husband as we speak, “so if anybody has any issues with it, robust sh*t.”

That pose, for these questioning, has the Lakers legend standing, proper hand stretched upward, elevating his index finger in what could possibly be seen as an “I’m No. 1 gesture.”

It could certainly be that. Bryant, everybody is aware of, didn’t lack for confidence in his personal skills.

However it is usually a snapshot from the tip of the sport in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006. In that contest, Bryant scored 81 factors, the second highest single recreation level whole in NBA historical past. As Bryant walked off the court docket that night time, he held up his index finger as a lot in acknowledgement of the cheering crowd as in celebration of himself.

Additionally in reminiscence of that night time, the group launched a seven-minute video narrated by Lakers die-hard Denzel Washington and directed by frequent collaborator Antoine Fuqua. It additionally celebrates the night time of Bryant’s 81-point feat.

In her speech, Vanessa Bryant stated the statue can be one in all three of her late husband outdoors the world. There will probably be one in all him sporting every of his numbers — eight and 24 — and one other of Kobe and his daughter Gianna. They and 7 others had been tragically killed in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.

You’ll be able to watch the statue being unveiled and everything of Vanessa Bryant’s speech under.