Correcting Mistakes: Kobe Bryant’s Statue in Los Angeles Fixed Before Final Home Game

The Kobe Bryant statue outside of Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles has finally been fixed, following errors that were discovered shortly after its unveiling in February. The statue, which is nearly 20 feet tall and made of bronze, honors the legendary Los Angeles Lakers player.

The statue had several mistakes that needed to be addressed, including misspellings of Jose Calderon and Von Wafer’s names in a replica box score from Bryant’s 81-point game in 2006. There was also a misspelling in the phrase “Coach’s Decision” and a formatting error in listing Bryant’s career accomplishments. Additionally, Bryant’s signature on the statue was changed to just read “Kobe” instead of “Kobe 24” as originally depicted with his No. 8 Lakers jersey.

Despite being a popular spot for fans, the statue had several mistakes that needed to be addressed before it could truly honor Bryant’s legacy accurately. Officials completed renovations on the statue ahead of the Lakers’ final home game of the regular season against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night.

The Lakers are still planning to erect two more statues honoring Bryant outside of the arena. One statue will show Bryant in his iconic No. 24 jersey, while the other will feature him alongside his daughter, Gianna. Both Bryant and Gianna, along with seven others, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash in 2020. The location and completion timeline for these two additional statues have not yet been determined by the Lakers.[/