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Four years after his passing, Kobe Bryant still remains remembered as a father, husband, son, friend, teammate, basketball player, and Olympian.
In honor of the Olympic Games coming to California in 2028—the state where the former Los Angeles Lakers player made his home—his widow, Vanessa Bryant, paid tribute to her late husband and daughter, Gianna Bryant, who both tragically died in a helicopter crash. Vanessa, who also is the mother to their daughters Natalia, Bianka, and Capri, incorporated an emblem that embodies the true Mamba Mentality.
The ‘Mamba Mentality’ means “to constantly strive to be the best version of yourself… That’s what the mentality is. It’s a relentless pursuit to be better today than you were yesterday,” Kobe shared during his press tour for Mamba Mentality, according to Entertainment Tonight.
The logo now reads “LA 28,” with the “A” designed in purple and yellow, featuring the Mamba logo at its center. The athlete, who passed away at 41, had participated in the Olympics twice, in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. In a video shared on Instagram, his 42-year-old wife said, “We’re so proud to see this emblem represent the Los Angeles Games. I know Kobe would be so proud to host the Games in this great city.”
Kobe, who earned two gold medals with Team USA basketball—alongside LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and others—was immensely proud to represent his country. Vanessa reflected, “He considered his two gold medals among his proudest professional accomplishments… As a spectator, he especially loved supporting fellow athletes and witnessing the competition at the world’s highest level.”
Now that the ‘City of Angels’ is set to host the world’s greatest athletes, Vanessa knows Kobe would have been more than proud. She added, “And, of course, our family loves Los Angeles. So, when Kobe was approached to support the effort to bring the Games to L.A., he responded with an immediate, ‘Yes.’”
USA’s Kobe Bryant (C) celebrates with his wife Vanessa (L) after the men’s basketball gold medal match of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 at the Olympic basketball Arena in Beijing. The United States won the Olympic men’s basketball gold medal defeating Spain 118-107. Argentina defeated Lithuania 87-75 in the bronze-medal game. AFP PHOTO / TIMOTHY A. CLARY (Photo credit should read TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
In a throwback clip shown in the video, the girl dad remarked, “To have the Olympics here in a city where so many cultures are naturally represented would be a beautiful story to tell and a beautiful way to integrate sport with the city.”
