Vanessa Bryant joined Nickerson Gardens residents Monday for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of a renovated gym in the Watts public housing community.
Nickerson Gardens, managed by the Los Angeles Housing Authority, was chosen for the project by Kobe Bryant and the Lakers' widow. The decision was made in part because it is the former site of the Boys and Girls Club, where Kobe Bryant hosted the Mamba League youth basketball program.
“This place is special to my family,” Vanessa Bryant said. “My father used basketball to teach young boys and girls life lessons.”
“This is a reminder to all the boys and girls who play here that they are loved.”
The ribbon cutting took place inside the renovated gym and basketball court, which featured a mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna designed by artist Brian Peterson.
“The 11-day Mamba mentality got us to this point,” Peterson said of the gym renovation project.
Peterson created the “Forever Courtside Sculpture” in the Anaheim Dream Court at Pearson Park. This sculpture features Kobe and Gianna Bryant's smiling faces next to his basketball court in the park. He also created “More Than an Athlete,” a mural on the fourth floor terrace of Ovation Hollywood that features Kobe Bryant kissing the Oscar trophy he won for “Dear Basketball.”
Peterson's first mural in Los Angeles, “We Will Rise Above,” depicts Kobe Bryant and Dodgers star Mookie Betts in the parking lot of Philip the Original near Union Station.
Juju Watkins, who grew up in Watts and was the nation's best freshman at the University of Southern California and received Wooden All-America honors, also attended the ceremony. She said the Kobe and Gianna Bryant mural will be an inspiration to the young players on the court enjoying the game the Lakers legend and his daughter loved.
“It's all about accessibility,” Watkins said. “Growing up, I was chasing my dreams. I couldn't go to an indoor gym. So Vanessa and everyone came together to create something great for the community and help young people pursue their dreams. It's really great to see them being chased.” ”
Nickerson Gardens was designed by Paul Revere Williams, one of Los Angeles' most prolific architects. This residential complex has 1,066 units and shared open spaces, including a central play area.
Vanessa Bryant is the president of the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. The nonprofit organization is dedicated to creating opportunities for underprivileged young athletes in memory of Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, who died in a helicopter crash northwest of Los Angeles in January 2020. The purpose is
