It was a special Friday night for Kobe Bryant's family. On August 8, the Los Angeles Dodgers paid a heartfelt tribute to the late Lakers legend for their game against the Toronto Blue Jays with a special bobblehead giveaway, coinciding with the iconic date that honors his original jersey number, 8. Kobe was a longtime Dodgers fan.
The emotional night was a touching celebration of Kobe’s legacy, attended by his wife Vanessa Bryant and their daughters Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.
The bobblehead features Kobe dressed in his classic No. 24 Lakers uniform, sporting the Nike Kobe 6 Protro Dodgers sneakers and holding a baseball bat, made as an homage to his love for both basketball and Dodgers baseball.
The first 40,000 fans entering the game against the Toronto Blue Jays received a bobblehead, and adding to the special evening, Kobe’s youngest daughters played starring roles in the pre-game ceremonies.
8-year-old Bianka threw the ceremonial first pitch, sending the ball to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, while 6-year-old Capri took the microphone to deliver the classic announcement: “It’s time for Dodgers baseball!”
Vanessa and the Bryant family, known to be big Dodgers fans, took time to pose for photos, including one memorable moment with Freeman.
This celebration follows a tradition of the Dodgers honoring Kobe’s memory each season. In 2023, fans received a black snakeskin Dodgers jersey inspired by Kobe’s famous “Black Mamba” nickname, featuring his No. 8 on the front and No. 24 on the back. These jerseys returned in 2024, keeping alive the ongoing bond between the basketball legend and the baseball team.
The Bryant family’s presence at Dodger Stadium isn’t new to fans. Last year, Vanessa and Bianka threw the first pitch to open a game against the Tampa Bay Rays, a moment shared widely on social media. These public tributes come five years after the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, along with seven others.
Los Angeles continues to cherish Kobe and Gigi’s memory throughout the city. There are at least 26 murals across L.A. County featuring Kobe, including one downtown showing him kissing Gianna, while she holds a basketball.
Meanwhile, Crypto.com Arena has three Kobe statues, including a 19-foot marble statue and the bronze “Girl Dad,” celebrating the father-daughter bond Kobe shared with Gianna.
The Dodgers’ tribute game ended on a high note with a 5-1 victory over the Blue Jays, highlighted by a two-run homer from Mookie Betts. Reflecting on Kobe’s impact beyond basketball, the Dodgers recalled a memorable moment from 2017, when Bryant recorded a recruiting video calling Shohei Ohtani to join the team. “There’s no better place in the world to win than Los Angeles, and there’s no better team in baseball to win with than the Dodgers," he said at the time.