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Louise Thomas
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Kobe Bryant’s daughter Bianka threw her first pitch at Dodgers Stadium over the weekend, in honor of the late NBA star.
The seven-year-old attended the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 25, alongside her two sisters – Capri, five, and Natalia, 21 – and her mother, Vanessa Bryant. During the occasion, which took place on what would have been the weekend of Kobe’s 46th birthday, Bianka had the opportunity to kick off the game herself.
In a video shared to Instagram by Vanessa, Bianka – wearing a white Dodgers jersey with Kobe’s Lakers number, 24, on it – took her spot on the field, toward the mound. Bianka, who also had a pink bow in her hair, then raised her arm up and officially pitched the ball, which was caught by Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts.
Vanessa also took to Instagram to share sweet photos from the game, which also saw her and Capri wearing white Dodgers jerseys with the number 24 on the back. Meanwhile, Natalia wore a black Dodgers jersey, which also included her father’s signature number.
Along with photos of the family on the field, Vanessa’s post included a snap of herself hugging Betts, as he was holding a $100,000 check from the Dodgers to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, a nonprofit organization in honor of Kobe and his late daughter Gianna (also known as Gigi), who both died in a helicopter crash in 2020.
“Thank you @dodgers for supporting our @mambamambacitasports foundation. L.A. Love,” Vanessa wrote in the caption.
During the Dodgers game on August 25, the MLB team gave out a special Kobe Bryant jersey to the first 40,000 fans that arrived at the stadium. Along with a yellow Dodgers logo, the front of the black jersey featured the number 8, which was also one of Kobe’s jersey numbers. Both sleeves of the jersey had the late legend’s initials – “KB” – inside a heart, while the back of the outfit had his last name and the number 24 on it.
The game also came one day after Kobe Bryant Day, which honors the life and legacy of the late basketball player. The occasion falls on August 24 and is celebrated in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Bianka’s first pitch at the stadium on Sunday is a full-circle family moment. In September 2023, Natalia threw her first pitch at Dodger Stadium, in honor of her father. As she kicked off the Dodgers’ game against the Atlanta Braves at the time, she wore a white jersey with the number 24 on the back, with her ball also being caught by Betts.
Earlier this month, the Lakers and Bryant family also debuted a special statue, as a tribute to Kobe and Gianna. The bronze figure – which is outside Crypto.com Arena – shows the late athlete hugging and kissing Gianna on the forehead, as she has a big smile on her face. According to Vanessa, the statue not only represents the father and daughter’s careers in basketball but also celebrates Kobe’s close relationship with his four daughters.
“We merged two iconic courtside moments of Kobe and Gigi. Gianna has her gorgeous smile on her face and Kobe is kissing the top of her head while wearing the Philadelphia Eagles beanie that Gigi gifted him for Christmas,” Vanessa told close family and friends during the statue’s unveiling earlier this month, as reported by the LA Lakers. “He’s also wearing a WNBA hoodie he wore courtside to the game with Gigi. Kobe was the first NBA player to wear that orange hoodie to a big game and that was to show his support for Gigi’s dreams and for women across all sports. That was a moment he shared with Gigi that will always be a powerful representation of the movement towards equality that was always so important to our family.”
During her remarks, Vanessa went on to celebrate Gianna, who would have turned 18 this year, and the impact she has continued to have on women’s sports.
“We were faced with the harsh reality that no matter how great Gianna was or could be, no matter how great her daddy taught her how to play, or even if she played exactly like Kobe, she would not have had the same benefits and opportunities that her dad and young men currently have because she’s a girl,” she added. “That’s when the challenge to change the perception of women’s sports started in our household. Gianna would be going into her first year of college this year. We would be watching her shine on the court. Now her spirit is shining a path she has created for young girls and for women in sports.”
