The Los Angeles Lakers will wear their “Black Mamba” uniforms during Thursday’s game against the Denver Nuggets (10 p.m. ET on TNT) in celebration of Kobe Bryant, who will have a statue unveiled in his honor outside Crypto.com Arena earlier in the day.
Bryant, who died in a 2020 helicopter crash that also claimed the life of his daughter, Gianna, helped design the uniforms, which feature a snakeskin print and drop shadow numbers as a nod to the uniforms the Lakers wore during his rookie season in 1996-97.
The uniforms, which also include a stylized “LA 24” logo on the waistband and the Nos. 8 and 24 under the flaps on the shorts in reference the two numbers Bryant wore during his career, were originally unveiled as the Lakers’ 2017-18 City Edition set.
They returned in the opening round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, as the Lakers donned the all-black uniforms in their 135-115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Aug. 24 – which is also expressed as 8/24.
Los Angeles went on to capture its record-tying 17th NBA championship with a 4-2 series victory over the Miami Heat, with every game of the postseason played in a “bubble” at Walt Disney World amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The uniforms, which were also worn in Game 2 of the Finals, notably featured a white heart-shaped patch with the No. 2 for Gianna, who played for the Los Angeles Lady Mambas, the Mamba Sports Academy basketball team coached by her father.
An 18-time All-Star and five-time NBA champion who played his entire 20-year career in Los Angeles, Bryant will be the seventh Laker with a statue, joining Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Jerry West and Chick Hearn.
Related stories:
LeBron James Wants NBA To Bring Back Special Edition Christmas Uniforms 
Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks Can’t Wear City Edition Uniforms During NBA In-Season Tournament Semifinals 
Every New NBA City Edition Uniform for 2023-24 Season 
Every NBA Uniform, Logo Change For 2023-24 Season 
Los Angeles Clippers’ 2023-24 City Edition Uniforms Leak 
Detroit Pistons’ Bad Boys-Inspired City Edition Jerseys Leak 
Golden State Warriors’ 2023-24 City Edition Uniforms Leak 
Phoenix Suns’ New “El Valle” City Edition Jerseys Leak