Vanessa Bryant shared some heartwarming footage of her daughters Bianka and Capri getting a head start on the Easter festivities this year, their first without husband and father, Kobe Bryant, and daughter and sister, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, since their tragic deaths in January. Vanessa and her three girls have been a pillar of strength since losing Kobe and Gigi in a horrific helicopter accident earlier this year. It’s never easy to spend a holiday without your loved ones who have passed, but it looks like the Bryant ladies are making the most of the somber weekend.

On Saturday, Vanessa posted a video on Instagram of 3-year-old Bianka trying to smash open a big blue Easter egg with baby Capri watching closeby. Despite Bianka’s best efforts, Vanessa decides to take matters into her own hands (literally) by using the hammer to help Bianka crack open the egg, which was sent to them by famous florist, Jeff Leatham. After pulling out a bunch of confetti, tons Easter treats are revealed to be inside the gift.

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Although the oldest Bryant daughter, 17-year-old Natalia, does not make an appearance in the brief clip, there’s no doubt she’ll be spending Easter with them. Happy Easter to this beautiful family! Our thoughts are with them.

Kobe Bryant is a legend of basketball who was taken away from us too soon. He and his daughter Gianna passed away in a helicopter crash alongside seven other people back on January 26th and the whole world is still in mourning. Kobe’s wife Vanessa has been maintaining her strength throughout this challenging period and every once and a while, she takes to Instagram where she offers up a touching video of her husband and second child.

In the clip below, Kobe can be seen talking about Gigi and how much he loved coaching her. It’s clear that Gianna was destined to be a great athlete and that Kobe took great pride in everything she was doing.

“She started out playing soccer, which is one of my favorite sports as well,” Kobe said. “But then when she asked about learning the game of basketball, I started teaching her piece by piece, and she started enjoying it and loving it and now she plays every day. It’s been a joy to watch her grow and to be there everyday for that process.”

As time goes by, these clips become harder and harder to watch as they remind us of what could have been. Regardless, it’s always heartwarming to see what kind of love and admiration the Lakers legend had for his daughter.

Kobe Bryant meant as much to the growth of women's basketball as any other current or former NBA player, and his everlasting impact on the game was on full display at Staples Center on Monday. In remembrance of the Los Angeles Laker legend, several prominent women's basketball figures were asked to speak at the memorial service, including legendary UConn women's basketball coach Geno Auriemma, Oregon Ducks' star Sabrina Ionescu, and WNBA icon Diana Taurasi.

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In speaking about Kobe's legacy, Auriemma, Ionescu and Taurasi applauded the way Bryant had pushed the women's game forward, specifically noting how his 13-year old daughter Gianna was poised to become the next great superstar. In discussing GiGi's impressive, Black Mamba-like skill set, Taurasi offered a lighthearted jab at Lakers superstar LeBron James, as she quipped that GiGi had a better turnaround jumper at 11 years old than LeBron has today. 

As seen in the clip embedded below, Taurasi's remark about LeBron presented a much needed moment of comedic relief for the 20,000+ in attendance.

The Los Angeles Lakers will be holding 'A Celebration of Life for Kobe and Gianna Bryant' today, February 24th (2/24), as a nod to the numbers worn by both Gigi and Kobe. Those in attendance at Staples Center will receive a special edition t-shirt and program, both featuring memorable photos taken of the Laker legend and his daughter.

Tidal has announced that it will be livestreaming Kobe and Gianna Bryant's public memorial service on Monday. The father and daughter have already been laid to rest in a private ceremony in Corona del Mar, California on February 7th, attended only by close friends and family. However, earlier this month, it was announced that a celebration of life would take place at the Staplers Center in L.A. on February 24th, to honour Kobe and Gianna Bryant's memories following their tragic deaths on January 26th. Tickets have been made available for the public to purchase, the net proceeds of which will be donated to charity. 

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On Friday, Jay-Z's streaming service, Tidal, revealed that the whole memorial service will be available for everyone to view livestream on their platform. Even non-subscribers will be able to watch the emotional affair.

Vanessa Bryant shared a heartbreaking Valentine’s Day tribute to her late husband, Kobe Bryant, on her Instagram stories, cued up to Lauren Hill’s  “Tell Him.” The love-filled holiday was no doubt much harder for Vanessa this year, as it marked the first Valentine’s Day she had to spend without the love of her life as well as her daughter, Gianna. Vanessa decided that Lauryn Hill‘s “Tell Him” could best describe how she felt this February 14th, as she shared a throwback photo of herself and Kobe all cozied up while the beautiful ballad plays and Ms Hill’s heartbreaking lyrics scroll by.

Lyrics like, “Though I may suffer, I’ll envy it not/And endure what comes, ’cause he’s all that I got and tell him/Tell him I need him/Tell him I love him,” certainly hit home now more than ever for Vanessa. She has been sharing plenty of beautiful posts on social media honouring Kobe and Gigi as she slowly adjusts to life without them.

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Kobe and Gianna’s public memorial will take place on February 24th at the Staples Center, where Kobe built his career as a Laker. The father and daughter were reportedly laid to rest earlier this month of February 7th in a private ceremony. As for the NBA All-Star Game this weekend, several tributes are reported to be in the works. Jennifer Hudson is set to perform a special musical tribute, and all the players will wear special jersey patches to honour all those lost in the tragic helicopter crash.

The NBA has chosen to honor Kobe Bryant, GiGi Bryant, and the seven others who passed away in the helicopter crash by placing memorial patches on each of the All Star Game jerseys.

As shown in the tweets embedded below, the black patch on the right shoulder features nine stars in a circle, as a tribute to Kobe & GiGi, as well as John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Payton Chester, Sarah Chester and Ara Zobayan. Each All Star jersey will also have a black stripe on the left shoulder, as a nod to former NBA commissioner David Stern, who passed away in January.

Vanessa Bryant, wife of the late, great Laker legend Kobe Bryant, has today announced that the Bryant’s Mamba Sports Foundation has officially been renamed the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, because “there is no #24 without #2.” Vanessa revealed the name change and the foundation’s new logo in an instagram post, during which she once again thanked their family, friends and fans for all of the support.

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Vanessa writes:

“Because there is no #24 without #2, we have updated the Mamba Sports Foundation to now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. Our mission remains the same – and stronger than ever – to provide opportunities to young people through sports. Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy.. We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape. #Mamba #Mambacita #wings“

Check out her IG post below.

The NBA will honor both No. 24 and No. 2 during the All Star Game in Chicago this weekend, as every player on Team LeBron will wear GiGi’s #2, while Team Giannis will rep Kobe’s #24. The format of the 2020 All Star Game has also been altered as a further tribute to the Black Mamba. Click here for more details on how the scoring will work in Sunday’s game.

Kobe Bryant was given a notable tribute at the beginning of the In Memoriam tribute during last night’s Academy Awards, having won an Oscar for his short film Dear Basketball just last year. The late basketball legend has been remembered countless times by members of the sports community, as well as people around the world. His family, including his wife Vanessa and his three surviving daughters Natalia, Bianka, and Capri, has issued a couple of statements on the deaths of Kobe and Gigi and the latest message comes by way of Vanessa’s social media pages.

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“I’ve been reluctant to put my feelings into words,” started off Vanessa Bryant. “My brain refuses to accept that both Kobe and Gigi are gone. I can’t process both at the same time. It’s like I’m trying to process Kobe being gone but my body refuses to accept my Gigi will never come back to me. It feels wrong. Why should I be able to wake up another day when my baby girl isn’t being able to have that opportunity?! I’m so mad. She had so much life to live. Then I realize I need to be strong and be here for my 3 daughters. Mad I’m not with Kobe and Gigi but thankful I’m here with Natalia, Bianka and Capri. I know what I’m feeling is normal. It’s part of the grieving process.”

She explains that she felt it was important to share in case somebody else in the world was looking to her to provide clarity during their own moment of grief. There is no doubt that Vanessa has been incredibly strong after losing her husband and her daughter. Continue to keep the Bryant family in your thoughts.

In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death on January 26th, NBA teams and their players, as well as the league as a whole, have continued to pay tribute to the Laker legend. Informally retiring Kobe’s jersey numbers, in-arena tributes and changing the format of the All-Star Game are just some of the ways that the league has remembered Kobe in these dark times. But that’s not all.

Street artists have also created beautiful murals in honor of Kobe and his 13-year old daughter Gianna, who were among the nine killed in the devastating helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. An art teacher in South Florida by the name of Jarred Corey was among those who honored Kobe and GiGi with his talented artwork, and it’s probably the best thing you’ll see all day.

Check out the mesmerizing video, as well as a photo of the finished product, below.

According to Corey’s IG post, the incredible mural was done simply using Expo Dry Erase markers. The caption that accompanied the video reads:

“Done with Expo Dry Erase markers on the white board in my high school art class. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Bryant family and the families of all those that lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy! The whole world has been affected by this loss, but Kobe’s Legacy is bigger than basketball, he was a legend on and off the court! He will be forever missed, RIP Kobe and Gigi Bryant!”