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LOS ANGELES (KRON) – Today thousands of people will be gathering at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
The arena will hold a “Celebration of Life” for NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who were among the 9 people killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas last month.
Kobe and Gianna were laid to rest in a private family service in a cemetery in Southern California on Feb. 7.
But Monday’s memorial service will be a chance for the public to reflect on the life of Kobe and to mourn his loss and that of his young daughter.
When is the memorial?
The “Celebration of Life” service is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. PST on Monday, Feb. 24.
The date 2-24 is symbolic because Kobe wore No. 24 during the later part of his NBA career, and Gianna wrote No. 2 for her youth basketball teams.
“#2, #24 #20 years as a Laker and the amount of years Kob and I were together,” Vanessa wrote in a caption.
Where is the memorial?
The service will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, where Kobe played for the Los Angeles Lakers and where thousands of mourners gathered as news broke out of his death, and for weeks to come afterward.
This is not the first the Staples Center will hold a large-scale memorial. It most recently held a service for slain rapper Nipsey Hussle last April.
Who will attend the service?
Vanessa Bryant is expected to attend the public service, both CNN and TMZ report.
It’s unknown who will speak or perform at the service, but thousands are expected to attend.
The Staples Center seats about 20,000 people for non-sports events.
A limited number of tickets were sold for the service, with proceeds from ticket sales being donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation.
How can I watch it?
Coverage of the event will be available via KRON4’s sister station in Los Angeles, KTLA.
You can also find coverage on NBA TV, and the Los Angeles Lakers’ website (plus livestreams available on Facebook, YouTube, etc.).
The service will not play on screens outside the Staples Center or LA Live and organizers said there will be no overflow locations for those without tickets to the event.
Non-ticketed persons are strongly urged to not travel around downtown Los Angeles as many streets around the Staples Center will be closed for the event.
How can I honor Kobe and his legacy?
Previously known as the Mamba Sports Foundation, Vanessa Bryant announced earlier this month that the foundation had been renamed the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation to honor Gianna.
The foundation provides funding to underserved communities and athletes in hopes of positively impacting their lives through sports.
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