Following the 2016 retirement of Hall of Fame Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant, then-L.A. city mayor Eric Garcetti created a “Kobe Bryant Day” to commemorate the 18-time All-Star.
For Saturday’s eighth annual Mamba Day on Saturday, the hoops world is going all out to commemorate the 2008 league MVP.
Why is August 24 Kobe Bryant Day? Simply, the holiday celebrates both of the two now-retired Lakers jerseys the 6-foot-6 swingman wore during his decorated 20-year career, Nos. 8 (from 1996-2006) and 24 (from 2006-2016).
Read More: Lakers Owner Jeanie Buss Recalls One of Her Favorite Kobe Bryant Moments
This weekend, in Los Angeles and Bryant’s long-time home of suburban Orange County, the festivities are quite thorough, per Michael Duarte of NBCS Los Angeles.
“LA Royal,” a fresh thread collection from Bryant widow Vanessa’s company, the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, has launched this weekend.
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Donned in classic Lakers colors purple and gold, the new swag will include L.A.-centric sweatshirts, shorts, and all manner of other clothing.
For the second straight year, a two-day Nike basketball tournament boasting some of the top prep school prospects in the country transpires from Bryant’s birthday, Aug. 23, through Kobe Bryant Day, Aug. 24. The event has been dubbed the Mamba League Invitational. Last year’s inaugural tournament featured Sierra Canyon School shooting guard Bryce James, a three-star prospect and the son of current Lakers All-Star combo forward LeBron James.
Dodger Stadium is ringing in the event this weekend with two days’ worth of Lakers-themed T-shirt giveaways. On Saturday, the historic MLB locale will celebrate the Magic Johnson/Kareem Abdul-Jabbar era Showtime Lakers with a fresh Dodger-crossover shirt.
On Sunday, an exclusive Bryant-themed jersey will be given away:
Meanwhile, on the west side of town, the Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park Ferris wheel lit up in Bryant’s jersey numbers and some Lakers-centric lights.
Bryant’s Aug. 23 birthday was rocked with the release of some brand-new Nike sneakers, the Kobe 9 Elite High Potro “Halo,” available in select areas.
On Chicago’s Jackson Park courts, an eight-hour tournament and skills contest will tip off to celebrate Bryant, according to Maxwell Evans of Block Chicago.
Across 1,346 regular season games, (1,198 starts), the Lower Merion High School product averaged 25.0 points on a .447/.329/.837 slash line, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks a night. In addition to being an 18-time All-Star, Bryant was also a 15-time All-NBA honoree, a 12-time All_Defensive Teamer, the 2008 MVP, a five-time champion, a two-time Finals MVP, and a four-time All-Star Game MVP.
