Kobe Bryant Statue Reaction: Magic Johnson Reveals What He Loves Most

Magic Johnson was the first Laker to get a statue outside the Crypto.com Arena (named the Staples Center at the time) in 2004. With the franchise now unveiling a bronze statue for someone whom Magic called the greatest Laker ever, the 5x champion had to be present at the ceremony. Having witnessed the event live, the legendary point god noted the details he loved in the Kobe Bryant statue.

“I love the five trophies, but then the stone below him, all the accomplishments. I think that was special. Vanessa did an amazing job because a lot of people would have never seen him play, in terms of young people, so they can say, ‘Oh, okay…They can come up and see my statue but they have never seen me play, but I don’t have all that.’ And I think that’s what was special about it, the fact that here are all the accolades.”

The accomplishments Magic refers to include five Larry O’Brien trophies that Bryant won and it sits on a black, triangle-shaped base, an ode to Phil Jackson’s triangle offense. In a modern twist, there is a QR code on the statue for fans to scan with their phones, leading to a Bryant highlight video narrated by Denzel Washington.

Kobe held Magic and Michael Jordan in the highest regard. He idolized them and wanted to become better than them. While matching the success of Magic’s Showtime Lakers would have been a pipe dream for most, Bryant proved to be the anomaly. He took the reins of a storied franchise and became the best player in its history.

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Johnson is aware of the impact Kobe had and that is why he has often humbly referred to him as the Laker GOAT. Moreover, the 64-year-old also loved that the statue was huge. He said, “Man, that’s a statue there.”

How huge is the Kobe Bryant statue?

The Lakers have showcased one out of the three statues for now. This one with the jersey number ‘8’ on it is a tribute to Bryant’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. The statue weighs around a massive 4,000 pounds and it is made fully of bronze. Moreover, it is 19-foot tall, which left Magic Johnson in awe of it.

There are two more statues that are yet to be unveiled. One with Bryant wearing the number ’24’ and another with his daughter Gigi. While the exact pose of these statues remains a mystery, this very revelation from Vanessa has excited the fans a lot.

Read more: Kobe Bryant Statue: Background History on Black Mamba’s Sculpture’s Pose at Lakers Facility

What do you think will be the poses of the last two statues? Are you excited for it? Share your take in the comments below.