Tag: Bryant

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Jerry West displays on the life and legacy of Kobe Bryant

Jerry West reflects on the life and legacy of Kobe Bryant

Jerry West may be the man whose silhouette adorns the National Basketball Association logo, but he’s also the man responsible for turning Kobe Bryant into a Los Angeles Laker.

The eight-time NBA champion spoke to CNBC’s The News with Shepard Smith about his relationship with the former Lakers superstar and his thoughts on his late boyfriend, who will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday.

“I will remember [Bryant] as someone I loved like a brother. The playful moments with him, some of the fun things and the exchanges we had. Watching him start what he became, “West told CNBC.

Bryant, 41, his daughter Gianna, 13, and seven other people died in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California on January 26, 2020.

West, a former player and 14-time NBA All-Star, coached the Lakers and eventually moved to the team’s front office. He stood behind the Lakers dynasty in the 1980s and is the proud owner of nine championship rings in his life. He is also the man credited with bringing Bryant to the Lakers after organizing a draft day deal with the Charlotte Hornets.

West recognized Bryant’s talent for basketball early on and did not shy away from the 17-year-old, even though he only played in high school.

Jerry West and Kobe Bryant salute before the game between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers on December 18, 2017 at the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California.

Andrew D. Bernstein | NBAE via Getty Images

“We just fell in love with him. From the time we coached him in Los Angeles, and especially the second time we coached him … from then on, it’s been like, I love the way you get we this guy? “

The two developed a bond over the years. West said his son would drive around Bryant and his wife would cook him Italian food for dinner.

“He was one of the greatest players we have ever seen, but he was also one of the brightest players we have ever seen,” said West.

While Bryant achieved so much on the court, West also took pride in his extrajudicial contributions, especially when it came to helping women’s basketball.

Bryant helped give voice to the Women’s National Basketball Association and its players, and often attended games with his daughter.

“He was a bright light” for women basketball players, West said. “Whatever he did turned to gold and I think he was as a person.”

On Saturday, Bryant’s idol Michael Jordan will induct him into the Hall of Fame. From a young age, Bryant looked up to Jordan and even tried to model his game after him.

“This is going to be a historic night to honor a legendary player who is no longer with us and it just doesn’t seem right to be honest,” said West. “To have his idol there to introduce him … I think we all feel a little bit robbed.”

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Business

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, to launch Mambacita clothes line

Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow, to launch Mambacita clothing line

Just weeks after announcing that Kobe Bryant’s estate had parted ways with Nike, the late NBA star’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, announced the launch of her Mambacita clothing line on Friday.

Bryant said on her Instagram account that she will post the collection on May 1, the 15th birthday of Gianna or “Gigi”, Kobe and Vanessa’s daughter, who died with Kobe in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020.

Bryant said 100% of the proceeds will go to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, the nonprofit created in memory of Kobe and Gigi to help underserved youth in sports.

Gigi’s nickname was Mambacita.

It’s unclear if this is the start of a bigger launch, but Bryant said unisex and kid sizes will be available. The website on which the collection was offered was down on Friday afternoon and said “internal error”.

According to Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney and founder of Gerben Intellectual Property, the Kobe Bryant property has filed more than a dozen trademark applications since May 2020. “Last year, Vanessa Bryant filed trademark filings on behalf of Kobe through a corporate entity indicating a desire to build a brand around the legacy of Kobe and Gianna,” he said.

Gerben said three trademarks are used in the images she posted, which include the word Mambacita, the M logo and the 2-heart logo. “Because of the trademark filing activity … I would also expect more products to hit the market soon,” he said.

Ultimately, creating a clothing and footwear brand without a large corporate partner will be challenging. This is certainly not out of the realm of possibility, but there are challenges on the corporate side that make partnering with an established company still a strong opportunity “Said Gerben.

Vanessa Bryant and Nike were at odds, according to sources. She was dissatisfied with the unavailability of its products, a strategy shoe companies often use to drive demand. On April 20, Bryant told fans that despite leaving Nike, she would hope that Kobe’s fans can wear his products for years to come.

“I will continue to fight for it,” she said in the post. “Kobe’s products sell out in seconds. That says it all.”

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Entertainment

25 Free Performances Come to Bryant Park Beginning in June

25 Free Performances Come to Bryant Park Starting in June

Once guests arrive at the park, they will have their temperatures checked and be shown to their seats, which will be provided with space for social distancing. The park has no plans to get vaccinations or negative virus tests, but is considering them as options, according to Dan Fishman, director of public events for the park.

Other organizations participating in Bryant Park’s series this summer include Elisa Monte Dance, Harlem Stage, National Sawdust, New York Chinese Cultural Center, Limón Dance Company, and Greenwich House Music School. New York City Opera singers will perform a Pride concert on June 18th.

Many groups and institutions have been downsized or completely cocooned since last year.

“We were in hibernation,” said Tom Wirtshafter, the city hall president, who ran more than 60 virtual programs during the pandemic but, like most venues, had to leave most of the staff.

City Hall, which opened in 1921, will wrap up Bryant Park’s season on September 20 with a 100th anniversary event attended by Chris Thile, the mandolin player whose eclectic tastes range from bluegrass to creek.

Tiffany Rea-Fisher, the artistic director of Elisa Monte Dance, who also curates dance performances in the park, said her company only played twice in the past year. It will perform with the Paul Taylor Dance Company on August 20, and Rea-Fisher said it was not easy to find other dance groups to prepare.

“Finding companies that were ready in terms of perseverance was a challenge,” she said. “You don’t want to bring dancers back after a year and let them do a performance – it’s all about injuries.”