Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant with daughter Gigi. Credit: Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images

'Mommy Loves And Misses You': Kobe Bryant’s Wife Vanessa Bryant Shows Emotions On Gigi Bryant’s Supposed To Be 19th Birthday

Originally posted on Hardwood Heroics | By Sabel Reyes | Last updated May 2, 2025 8:56 AM ET

Gigi Bryant , daughter of Vanessa and the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant, would have turned 19 on Thursday. Vanessa marked the day with an emotional birthday tribute on Instagram.

Kobe Bryant, 41, and Gianna, 14, were among the nine who died half a decade ago due to a tragic helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Both were supposedly on their way to Gigi’s important youth basketball match.

Vanessa shared a photo of her daughter in a Mamba Academy jersey, sweetly sharing a short message: “Happy birthday, Gigi! Mommy loves and misses you more than I could ever express. I love you, Gianna.

5/1 #Mambacita,” she wrote. She also reposted this on her story.

The post got over 684k likes in 17 hours, including comments from basketball stars and influencers spreading love for Gigi. WNBA legend Lisa Leslie and San Antonio Spurs star Chris Paul were among them.

“Sending love on this special day

Happy Birthday Gigi

,” Leslie wrote.

“Happy Birthday Day Gigi!!

,” Chris Paul wrote.

More figures gave their remarks.

“Love you Gigi

Happy Birthday

,” La La Anthony, the former wife of Carmelo Anthony, wrote.

“Happy birthday Gigi

,” former NBA player Matt Barnes commented.

“Happy birthday sweet girl

,” Winnie Harlow, the fiance of Kyle Kuzma, wrote.

Kobe Bryant’s daughter, Gigi, began basketball training under him, showing immense potential and skill. Bryant gave her the nickname “Mambacita” just a month before their passing, deriving from his signature “Black Mamba.” She just entered high school then.

September 1, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Natalia Bryant with sisters Bianka and Capri with their mother Vanessa Bryant in attendance at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Now, Vanessa and many more continue to pay tribute to the Bryants.

Luka Doncic shares reason for donating to Kobe Bryant mural

Luka Doncic , the new Los Angeles Lakers superstar, had deeply admired Kobe Bryant, his predecessor to being the face of the franchise. Recently, the Slovenian star helped fix a damaged Kobe and Gigi mural along LA, leading to a GoFundMe donation by giving $5,000 to the cause.

Los Angeles Lakers Forward Reflects on the Love Luka Doncic Received From the Fans 1 Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers warms up before a game against the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas on Wednesday. Image Credit: Sam Hodde / Getty Images

After the Lakers’ practice ahead of their Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Doncic revealed the reason behind his donation.

“Like I always say, my foundation gives back to organizations in the community,” Doncic said. “It’s always important to give back to the community that gave me so much. So just wanted to give back.”

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Much of Kobe Bryant’s skills on the court had influenced Doncic, helping him grow into one of the biggest stars of the league. Now with the Lakers, the former Mavericks star is carving out a legacy reminiscent of the path Kobe Bryant once walked.”

This article first appeared on Hardwood Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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