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Vanessa Bryant's Bittersweet Reaction to UConn's National Championship Win

Originally posted on The Spun | By Orlando Silva | Last updated Apr 7, 2025 9:31 AM ET

On Sunday, Kobe Bryant's wife, Vanessa Bryant, was among the thousands of people who reacted to the UConn Huskies' national championship win against Dawn Staley's South Carolina Gamecocks.

The Huskies won their 12th national championship, all under Geno Auriemma, the most successful coach of all time in men's and women's college basketball.

Bryant shared an Instagram story to celebrate the Huskies' success but added that her late daughter Gianna would have probably been a part of this team. Bryant would have been close to turning 19 as a freshman. She was well known for being a UConn Huskies super fan.

After UConn won the 2025 NCAA national championship, Vanessa Bryant remembered her daughter Gianna. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

"Gigi would've loved being there with you," Bryant wrote. "'When you can't, UCONN'- Gianna Bryant ♥️"

Gianna Bryant had set her sights on playing for Auriemma on the Huskies. That dream came to an abrupt end five years ago when she and her father died in a fatal helicopter crash while they were heading to one of her games.

Paige Bueckers revealed after the game that she remembered the Bryants through signs from God.

"There have been times this whole weekend and throughout the whole tournament that God has really shown himself and my mom staying in room 824, both of Kobe's numbers. Stuff like that," Bueckers said.

"It's just been a very blessed year, I mean win or lose, it's a very blessed year, but I just feel like God's presence has been really showing out and little things you just see his presence so palpable... I feel like a lot of that too is Kobe's watching over us, Gigi's watching over us."

The Huskies became the program with the most national championships, surpassing the UCLA men's team with their commanding 82-59 win. Although Gianna Bryant wasn't physically present this season, Bueckers thought about her during the process.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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