The basketball community commemorated Kobe Bryant this weekend, marking what would have been the Hall of Famer’s 47th birthday on 23 August and the annual “Mamba Day” on 24 August, named after his jersey numbers 8 and 24. Current and former NBA figures shared tributes, while media outlets revisited the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s career highlights, from his 81-point outburst against Toronto in 2006 to five league championships and 18 All-Star selections. Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, posted a message on Instagram saying, “We love and miss you and Gigi so much,” a reference to the couple’s daughter Gianna who died alongside her father and seven others in a helicopter crash on 26 January 2020. Pau Gasol, Magic Johnson and other friends and teammates echoed her sentiments, underscoring the lasting impact Bryant’s “Mamba Mentality” has on the sport. The remembrance follows ongoing philanthropic work by the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, which this year introduced the Gianna Bryant Scholarship Award to support young athletes. Publications such as USA Today used the occasion to rank Bryant’s top career moments, reinforcing the continuing cultural and sporting resonance of one of basketball’s most celebrated figures more than five years after his death.