Vanessa Bryant sends ‘truly grateful’ coach Dawn Staley awesome Kobe gift

Vanessa Bryant is a huge fan and supporter of women’s basketball. The widow of Kobe Bryant gave an elite gift to South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball head coach Dawn Staley, who took to social media to thank her on Saturday.

Vanessa and Kobe’s daughter Gigi, who tragically died with dad in the 2020 helicopter crash, was an amazing player herself and wanted to play for the UConn Huskies where she would’ve been a freshman on this year’s national championship team. Vanessa penned a heartfelt message to the squad in honor of Gigi after they won. She also worked on the release of Gigi’s Nike Kobe 9 Protro “Mambacita” editions as the perfect tribute for their daughter that released on May 2 on her would-be 19th birthday.

The 43-year-old Vanessa was also seen supporting Team USA women at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris with her three daughters Natalia, 22, Bianka, 8, and Capri, 5, where they shared a touching moment after the gold medal game with good family friend and New York Liberty WNBA star Sabrina Ionescu.

Sabrina Ionescu — Ionescu celebrates with the family of Vanessa after defeating France in the women's gold medal game. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Vanessa and daughter Natalia would also post congratulatory messages after Ionescu and the Liberty won their first ever championship.

She was also recently seen at a USC Trojans women’s basketball game with Natalia where USC star player JuJu Watkins was rocking some Kobe 6 “Sails” in a big win over the then No. 1 UCLA Bruins.

Natalia Bryant and Vanessa Bryant | USC Women’s Basketball/Instagram

Speaking of Kobe sneakers and Vanessa, she gifted Staley a pair of Kobe 4 Protro “CHBL” kicks, which stands for China High School Basketball League. Those haven’t even been released yet, and will be exclusively in China. What an elite gift. Staley was so thrilled, she wrote, “@vanessabryant I don't mean to flood your timeline but truly grateful and thankful to receive part of @kobebryant legacy and your vision and love for him elevate that legacy! Don't ever stop....mamba mentality!”

Those are some sweet sneakers.

Staley was one of the first women to ever have her own signature shoe, the Nike Zoom S5s that came out in 1999 during Staley’s career with the Charolette Sting. She’s also an elite women’s coach, having captured two of the last three national championships with the Gamecocks. Not to mention, she’s always so well dressed at games.

Dawn Stale — Staley is always so fashionable coaching, but she backs it up. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Vanessa has gifted some sweet Kobes recently with the Kobe 9 Elite Protro Christmas editions to friends like Ciara, Russell Wilson, and Pau Gasol, as well as some “Mambacita” ones to Gasol’s wife Cat in an amazing box.

It’s super cool to see the gift Vanessa gave Dawn, who in return sent such a touching message back. Kobe and Gigi would be proud with women’s basketball in good hands.

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