It was a year ago today (Jan. 26) when NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California.
Since that tragic day, fans have paid tribute to Bryant in their own ways, including creating hundreds of murals depicting the lifelong Los Angeles Lakers star. According to kobemural.com, a website that maps all the locations where murals dedicated to Bryant can be found, there are 437 artistic renditions across the world–from Hollywood to Haiti. Below are five Bryant murals that have been painted by Latino artists.
Gustavo Zermeño Jr.
Los Angeles-based artist Gustavo Zermeño Jr. has painted a handful of Bryant murals around his stomping grounds, including his “Leave a Legacy” piece where a cutout of the Black Mamba can be seen holding an NBA Championship trophy and looking down on the 2020 NBA Champion Lakers team.
Tetris Wai
The Mexican American artist from Los Angeles shows Kobe dribbling the ball up the court and taking the place of fellow Laker Jerry West in the NBA logo. On one side of Kobe is a silhouette of him and Gianna with halos over their heads.
Levi Ponce
This was Los Angeles artist Levi Ponce’s second mural of Bryant and the first he painted since 2016. It features a portrait of Kobe and a time-lapse painting of him dunking across a purple and gold galaxy.
Melany Meza-Dierks
In part of Venezuelan American artist Melany Meza-Dierks’ mural of Kobe, the Lakers All-Star is wearing one of his championship rings with his arms extended as if he is ready for an embrace. Beside him is the word “Mambacita” creating a constellation in the night sky.
Efren Andaluz
It’s probably not easy to be a Lakers fan living in New York City, but Brooklyn-based artist Efren Andaluz is full of pride for Kobe and what he did for the sport of basketball. His mural featuring Kobe and Gianna is located across the street from the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets.
