LSU star Angel Reese gives shoutout to immortalized Kobe Bryant after Lakers unveil 19-ft giant statue of 5X NBA champ 

Angel Reese has paid her tribute to LA Lakers and basketball legend Kobe Bryant. The LSU Tigers star took to Instagram to share the new Mamba statue outside Crypto.com Arena. The 19-foot statue was unveiled by the five-time NBA champion's widow, Vanessa Bryant, to commemorate his 81-point game.

Bryant was one of the biggest names in the basketball world at any level but certain moments would outlive all his records and accolades. His 81-point performance a little over 18 years ago is one such moment.

Reese backed the bronze statue with Bryant’s iconic pose as the LA Lakers unveiled the first of what will be a series of three statues on Thursday.

Reese's tribute to Kobe Bryant.

The statue shows the Lakers legend wearing his iconic No. 8 jersey in a pose he struck during his 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors on January 22, 2006.

According to Bryant's widow, Vanessa, Kobe chose the pose for the statue himself before his death in a helicopter crash in January 2020.

There is no timeline for the other two but one of them will be Kobe with his daughter, Giana, who died with her father in the crash. The other will be the legendary basketball player in jersey number 24.

LSU’s tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant ft. Angel Reese

Just before this past Christmas, the LSU Tigers unveiled their own tribute to Kobe Bryant, in partnership with Nike. The women's basketball team came with a special edition Nike Kobe 8 shoe series in the team colors of purple, gold and white.

Angel Reese showed off two of the three colorways that the Tigers launched.

“"It’s only fitting to have purple, gold, and white Kobes,” the team said on Instagram.

It was a perfect color scheme for the shoes as it represented the colors of the Tigers and those of the Lakers, the team Kobe spent his entire NBA career with.