Vanessa Bryant pays homage to Kobe and Gianna with new tattoo
Vanessa Bryant has revealed a new tattoo that pays tribute to her late daughter Gigi, who died alongside her father Kobe in a helicopter crash last year.
Fourteen months have passed since LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna (fondly know as ‘Gigi’) tragically lost their lives in a helicopter accident along with seven others on board.
The death of Kobe and his daughter sent shock waves throughout the world, leading to an outpouring of tributes to the basketball star that continue to this day.
But the latest tribute, which has come from Vanessa Bryant herself, has been mainly in honor of her daughter while also giving a nod to her late husband.
Over the past year, Vanessa has used social media to share messages and photos in memory of Kobe and Gigi.
And in her latest Instagram post, late Laker star's wife revealed a new tattoo of the name “Mambacita” on her forearm, which pays homage to Gigi and also makes reference to Kobe’s famous “Black Mamba” nickname.
Kobe’s “Black Mamba” moniker
Kobe’s self-given nickname was inspired by the code name for a deadly assassin in Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill' movie series.
"The mamba can strike with 99% accuracy at maximum speed, in rapid succession," Kobe once explained to ESPN: The Magazine in 2005. "That's the kind of basketball precision I want to have."
The moniker caught on and years later, his daughter Gigi adopted the “Mambacita” nickname when she decided to follow her father’s footsteps on to the basketball court.
Before her death, Gigi played for the Mamba Ballers, a girls basketball team that forms part of the La Mamba Sports Academy established by her father in 2018.