Kobe Bryant’s daughter Bianka had a very special job to do at a Los Angeles Dodgers game honoring her late father.
Joined by mom Vanessa Bryant, Bianka, 7, threw the first pitch to kick off the MLB team’s matchup against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday, Aug. 25.
In a video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a Los Angeles Lakers fan account, Bianka could be seen winding up and then throwing an impressive pitch down the plate at Dodgers Stadium to be caught by right fielder Mookie Betts.
Vanessa, 42 — along with her daughters Natalia, 21, Bianka and Capri, 5 — all wore matching Dodgers jerseys that had No. 24 on the back in honor of Kobe, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020 at age 41, along with 13-year-old daughter Gianna.
Later on Sunday, Vanessa shared a series of photo and video highlights from the game on Instagram, writing: “Thank you @dodgersfor supporting our @mambamambacitasports foundation. L.A. Love 🙏🏽💜💛 💙🤍.”
She also shared a photo of Bianka posing next to Betts, 31, with a big smile on her face.
This isn’t the first time a Bryant has thrown out the first pitch at a Dodgers game. In September 2023, Natalia took the mound at Dodgers Stadium. Almost 25 years earlier, Kobe threw the first pitch at a Dodgers game in June 2000.
Attendees at the Aug. 25 baseball event received special-edition Kobe jerseys to celebrate the Los Angeles sports icon just days after what would have been his 46th birthday.
The jersey’s design is meant to honor the “Black Mamba” with snake print and gold and black coloring and both of his iconic numbers — 8 and 24 — on either side.
From left: Natalia, Vanessa, Capri and Bianka Bryant at Dodgers Stadium.
John McCoy/Icon Sportswire via Getty
The tribute event also falls on the day after the city’s Kobe Bryant Day, which was officially declared as Aug. 24 in Los Angeles and Orange County. Events in honor of the late basketball star also took place that day at Dodgers Stadium.
On Saturday, the Dodgers gave fans who attended the game Showtime Lakers T-shirts and a complimentary cartoon design of the legendary Lakers wearing Dodgers uniforms.
Lakers legends Michael Cooper, A.C. Green, Kurt Rambis, Byron Scott, Mychal Thompson and James Worthy also made an appearance for a pre-game ceremony and threw out the first pitch.
Following the game, fans were treated to a Lakers-themed drone show that lit up the sky.
The Kobe-themed night is one of many ways the city of Los Angeles continues to honor the late basketball star’s legacy and comes just weeks after a new statue of the Lakers great was unveiled downtown.
From left: Natalia, Capri and Bianka Bryant at Dodgers Stadium.
John McCoy/Icon Sportswire via Getty
The new sculpture, designed by Karon Davis, was unveiled on Aug. 2 outside of the Crypto.com Arena, honoring the special bond shared between Kobe and his daughter Gianna.
The statue depicts Kobe with his arm around Gianna and angel wings in the background, and honors “the Bryant family’s support for women and girls in sports,” according to a statement published on the Lakers’ website.
“The tribute represents Kobe and Gianna’s exceptional basketball legacy and the uplifting relationship Kobe shared with all four of his daughters,” the statement added.
