Los Angeles has once again found itself meshing the city's deep appreciation of basketball culture with its art scene, following a disheartening act of vandalism that splashed across one of the urban canvases immortalizing the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna. The mural, encapsulating the affections of a city for its Laker legends, encountered defacement, but not defeat, thanks to the current Laker and hoops phenom, Luka Dončić.
Fans were first greeted with the shock of the smeared mural, a site that has been standing as a gesture of remembrance and sports heritage at the intersection of 14th and Main streets, before advocacy turned into action. Sloe_motions, the artist behind this cherished piece of street art, had taken to the 'gram, alongside the "kobemural" Instagram account, wanting to draw attention to this issue and kickstart a GoFundMe drive with a goal of $5,000 for restorations. The campaign was fruitful, it surpassed the initial ask and landed north of $5,400 in contributions, mainly because of Luka Dončić. The Dallas Mavericks alum ponied up the full hoped-for donation, with a statement acquired by CBS Los Angeles, "Kobe is LA. He and Gigi mean so much to this city, to the Lakers organization and to me personally," Dončić expressed, solidifying his respect and connection to the Bryant legacy.
The muralistic homage featuring Kobe tenderly kissing Gigi, basketball in hand, carried far more than just paint and brush strokes, symbolizing love, loss, and the indelible impact of the Bryant duo who tragically perished in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. This art had previously seen its share of unmarred reverence, including a presence in a commercial for Super Bowl LVI, as noted by FOX Los Angeles.
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