The Kobe Bryant farewell tour from the NBA isn’t over just yet.
The city of Los Angeles has declared August 24th, 2016 “Kobe Bryant Day.” A ceremony will also be held tomorrow to commemorate his NBA career.
The city wishes to acknowledge Kobe’s philanthropy as well as his basketball accomplishments. It will acknowledge his charity work over the years, specifically what he and his wife, Vanessa, have done with the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation.”
“Among his astonishing list of accomplishments, Kobe Bryant’s 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers ranks No. 1 all-time for NBA players who played for a single franchise, and ‘Kobe Bryant Day’ is the City of Los Angeles’ way of thanking him for his single-minded dedication to excellence, the fans and the entire City and region of Los Angeles,” council member Jose Huizar said in an official statement.
“For 20 years, we were all the beneficiaries of Kobe’s incredible talent and legendary work ethic, and on 8-24 we’ll gather to say, ‘Thank you, Mamba.'”
The date was chosen for its combination of both numbers donned by Bryant during his time with the Lakers. He wore a No. 8 jersey until the start of the 2006-07 season, when he switched to No. 24 in honor of the number he used at Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia.
“For 20 years, we were all beneficiaries of Kobe’s incredible talent and legendary work ethic, and on 8-24 we’ll gather to say, ‘Thank you, Mamba,'” Huizar said.
