The permanent placement of late Kobe Bryant's handprints and footprints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre are shown in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 15, 2023.
Vanessa Bryant and her daughters Natalia, Capri and Bianka take part in the permanent placement of late Kobe Bryant’s handprints and footprints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California,U.S., March 15, 2023.
Vanessa Bryant and her daughter Natalia look on as Capri and Bianka Bryant take part in the permanent placement of late Kobe Bryant's handprints and footprints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California,U.S., March 15, 2023.
Vanessa Bryant and her daughters Natalia, Capri and Bianka take part in the permanent placement of late Kobe Bryant’s handprints and footprints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California,U.S., March 15, 2023.
MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS
Kobe Bryant’s handprints and footprints are now permanently on display at the iconic Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.
In an unveiling ceremony Wednesday, Vanessa Bryant and her daughters paid tribute to the late NBA star’s legacy. Eldest daughter Natalia, 20, gave a long speech while her younger sisters Bianka, 6, and Capri, 3, watched from the audience, People reported.
“I’m honored to be here today to recognize the man that we all knew and loved — my dad, Kobe Bryant,” Natalia said. Referring to him as the “MVP of girl dads,” she said he always made time for his daughters despite his intense work ethic and commitment to basketball.
“Being his daughter is one of the greatest joys of my life, and I hope to continue to embody and cherish the many lessons he has taught me,” she added.
Most of those cemented into the theatre’s foreground are Hollywood luminaries like actors, directors and musical artists. In 2011, Bryant became the first athlete to receive the honor.
Vanessa Bryant and her daughter Natalia look on as Capri and Bianka Bryant take part in the permanent placement of late Kobe Bryant's handprints and footprints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California,U.S., March 15, 2023.
MIKE BLAKE/REUTERS
“I feel extremely honored to be able to do this. ... You come back in 100 years, it’s going to be there. It’s not going anywhere. It’s here forever. You are part of Los Angeles forever,” he told CBS Los Angeles at the time.
The handprints and footprints were kept in storage.
Bryant’s inclusion in this pantheon was a symbol of the impact he had on the Los Angeles community, as well as the love he had for the city, his eldest daughter said Wednesday.
Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna died in a January 2020 helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif. Seven others died, too.
The permanent placement of late Kobe Bryant's handprints and footprints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre are shown in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 15, 2023.
