Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss Wants To Make 'Kobe Bryant Day' On 8-24 A National Movement
A day after The Orange County Board of Supervisors declared Aug. 24 to be Kobe Bryant Day, Lakers governor Jeanie Buss weighed in that she hopes this turns in to a much bigger movement.
"#Lakers Family - Orange County agrees 8/24 is officially Kobe Day," Buss tweeted Wednesday after the resolution was unanimously approved Tuesday. "Let’s make this a national movement! #MambaForever"
The date is an homage to Bryant's career. Bryant, who won five NBA championships over his 20 seasons with the Lakers, wore jersey Nos. 8 and 24.
Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people.
Buss was devastated.
“I would give anything to go back and have Jan. 26 never take place,” Buss said on the "Daddy Issues" podcast in May, adding that she dreams about him, which "makes me feel like he’s okay."
Bryant was a paragon of hard work, excelling in whatever he poured himself into.
He was an 18-time All-Star, two-time Finals MVP and one-time regular season MVP in 2008. He was known for having marathon shooting sessions in the middle of the night and was often the first to arrive at gyms and the last to leave.
After retiring in 2016, he devoted himself to storytelling. He went on to win an Oscar for his short animated film "Dear Basketball" in 2018.
Bryant also mentored a lot of players around the league, even hosting a mini-camp last summer at his Mamba Sports Academy.
“We should strive to live by his words of encouraging those around us to never give up on their dreams,” Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Michelle Steel told reporters at Tuesday's meeting. "The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do."
Kobe Bryant Day falls the day after Bryant's birthday on Aug. 23. Bryant would've turned 42.
