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Dodger Blue > Dodgers News > Dodgers Celebrate Kobe Bryant On Lakers Night With Drone Show, Donation To Mamba And Mambacita Sports Foundation
Dodgers NewsFeatured

Dodgers Celebrate Kobe Bryant On Lakers Night With Drone Show, Donation To Mamba And Mambacita Sports Foundation

Matthew Moreno
September 2, 2023
3 Min Read
Natalia Bryant, Kobe Bryant jerseys, Lakers Night
Blake Williams/DodgerBlue.com
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The Los Angeles Dodgers celebrated Kobe Bryant during their annual Lakers Night at Dodger Stadium, for which his oldest daughter, Natalia Bryant, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Mookie Betts.

Betts was a fitting selection to catch the ball as he formed a friendship with Bryant and leaned on his advice when returning to Fenway Park for the first time since being traded to the Dodgers.

Natalia was joined on the field by her mother Vanessa, and younger siblings Bianka and Capri. Kobe held the honor of throwing the first pitch in the summer of 2000 after winning his first championship with the Lakers.

Prior to Natalia following in his footsteps, the Bryant family was accompanied by Dodgers players standing along the third-base line while wearing Kobe’s Lakers jerseys.

They alternated between No. 8 and No. 24, and in a throwback road jersey and home yellow. The Dodgers played a tribute video that included a slideshow of photos from Bryant’s visits to Dodger Stadium.

He memorably was photographed celebrating Yasiel Puig’s home run during Game 4 of the 2018 World Series. Vanessa and Natalia were both with Bryant in what unfortunately was his final time watching a Dodgers game in person.

The Dodgers previously honored Bryant and Gigi during a pregame ceremony on August 24, 2020. It included a video tribute narrated by Hall of Fame broadcaster Vin Scully in recognition of what would have been Bryant’s 42nd birthday.

Fans who purchased a special ticket pack received a Black Mamba version of the Dodgers jersey that included Bryant’s name and both numbers.

Dodgers donation to Kobe Bryant’s foundation

The celebration of the five-time NBA champion and beloved icon included Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten presenting Vanessa with a $100,000 donation to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.

“The Dodgers are so proud to be helping the Mamba and Mambacita Foundation in their mission to positively impact our community and the entire sports world,” Kasten said in a statement.

The Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating positive impact for underserved athletes, both boys and girls, in sports. It was founded through the vision and loving memory of Kobe and Gianna ”Gigi” Bryant.

Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!

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TAGGED:Kobe BryantLos Angeles DodgersNatalia BryantStan KastenVanessa Bryant
ByMatthew Moreno
Matthew Moreno is a journalist from Whittier, Calif., who is a credentialed reporter and is currently the Executive Editor of DodgerBlue.com and LakersNation.com. In addition to covering Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angels Lakers, Matthew has a strong passion for keeping up to date with the sneakerhead culture. It began with Michael Jordan and Air Jordan shoes, and has carried over to Kobe Bryant's signature line with Nike. Matthew previously was the lead editor and digital strategist at Dodgers Nation, and the co-editor and lead writer at Reign of Troy, where he covered USC Trojans Football. Matthew graduated from California State Long Beach University with a major in journalism and minor in communications. Contact: matt@mediumlargela.com
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