On February 8, 2024, the Los Angeles Lakers will wear their Black Mamba uniforms, co-designed by Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, at home against the Denver Nuggets, following the unveiling of Bryant’s monument at Star Plaza outside Crypto.com Arena earlier that day.
Bryant, an 18-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA Champion, will become the eighth Laker to be honored with a statue, following Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jerry West, and Chick Hearn.
The Black Mamba uniforms have a snakeskin-like black print and drop shadows on the jersey numbers, a tribute to the Lakers uniforms from Bryant’s debut season in 1996-97. The unforms also include a “LA 24” on the belt and the numbers 8 and 24 under the flaps of each leg of the shorts.
2.8.24: The Mamba Unis Return 🖤 pic.twitter.com/dJVVm8TSJ2
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 6, 2024
The unveiling of the Bryant statue will be broadcast live on Spectrum SportsNet on February 8, 2024, beginning at 3 p.m. PT. Star Plaza’s public access will be restricted on February 8 owing to event staging and load out. Fans who want to see the statue on Star Plaza should expect pedestrian access on Chick Hearn Court to open Friday, Feb. 9 at 10 a.m. Chick Hearn Court will be blocked to all vehicular traffic until Saturday, February 10.
The Black Mamba jerseys, which made their debut during the 2017-18 season as the team’s first City Edition uniform, were inspired by Bryant and his 20-year career with the purple and gold. The Lakers initially wore the Black Mamba uniforms on Jan. 26, 2018, and dressed them once more during the 2020 NBA Playoffs, leading to the 17th NBA Championship in franchise history.
