Photo Credit:McCoy/Icon Sportswire via Getty
Bianka Bryant, daughter of the late Kobe Bryant, had a meaningful role at a recent Los Angeles Dodgers game honoring her father. At just seven
years old, Bianka took to the mound on Sunday, August 25, to throw the ceremonial first pitch before the Dodgers faced off against the Tampa Bay Rays. She was accompanied by her mother, Vanessa Bryant, and her sisters, Natalia, 21, and Capri, 5.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a Lakers fan account, Bianka can be seen confidently winding up and throwing a strong pitch straight down the plate at Dodger Stadium, with the ball being caught by Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts. The moment was a touching tribute to her late father, Kobe, who passed away in a tragic helicopter crash in 2020 alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
Vanessa, 42, and her daughters all wore matching Dodgers jerseys featuring the number 24 on the back, a nod to Kobe's iconic Lakers number. Vanessa later shared highlights from the event on Instagram, expressing her gratitude to the Dodgers for supporting their Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation. "Thank you @dodgers for supporting our @mambamambacitasports foundation. L.A. Love she wrote.
This wasn't the first time a member of the Bryant family took on the honor of throwing the first pitch at a Dodgers game. In September 2023, Natalia Bryant had the same opportunity. Kobe himself threw the first pitch at a Dodgers game nearly 25 years ago in June 2000, cementing the family's long-standing connection with Los Angeles sports.
The August 25 game also featured special-edition Kobe Bryant jerseys for attendees, commemorating the basketball legend just days after what
would have been his 46th birthday. These jerseys, designed with snake print and gold and black colors, paid homage to Kobe's "Black Mamba" persona and featured his iconic numbers 8 and 24.
The event followed Kobe Bryant Day, observed on August 24 in Los Angeles and Orange County, and included a pre-game ceremony with Lakers legends Michael Cooper, A.C. Green, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Mychal Thompson, and James Worthy. The night concluded with a Lakers-themed drone show, further celebrating Kobe's enduring legacy.
Just weeks before this event, a new statue of Kobe and Gianna was unveiled outside the Crypto.com Arena, symbolizing their special bond and the Bryant family's advocacy for women and girls in sports.
