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“Kobe Bryant and Gigi are so meaningful to this league”: Chris Paul praises Lakers legend’s impact on players today while sporting Vanessa Bryant’s ‘Mambacita’ merch

Samir Mehdi
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“Kobe Bryant and Gigi are so meaningful to this league”: Chris Paul praises Lakers legend’s impact on players today while sporting Vanessa Bryant’s ‘Mambacita’ merch

Chris Paul talks about Kobe Bryant and his impact on the NBA and its players today as Vanessa Bryant releases ‘Mambacita’ merchandise. 

Kobe Bryant was perhaps the literal definition of being, “your favorite player’s favorite player”. The entirety of the NBA during his playing days viewed him as this generation’s Micahel Jordan, seeing him more as a basketball deity, rather than just another player on the court.  

News of his untimely death spread across the globe within seconds and in those seconds, it felt as though the world had stopped. The fact that Kobe Bryant was also accompanied by his second oldest daughter, Gigi, made the news even more heartbreaking than it already was.

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Vanessa Bryant has been doing an incredible job at immortalizing Gigi’s name and in her latest venture, released a new line of merchandise called the ‘Mambacita’ merch. 100% of the proceeds will be going towards the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. 

Chris Paul says Kobe Bryant and Gigi are extremely meaningful to the NBA. 

In an incredible display of affection, several teams across the league have purchased the entirety of the Mambacita collection and players such as Devin Booker made sure to get their entire team the merch. 

Chris Paul showed an immense amount of love to Kobe Bryant and GiGi in his postgame availability, saying, “Kobe and Gigi were so meaningful to this league. We always talk about this being a brotherhood. Kobe Bryant has meant more to this league than a lot of other players and I think the players understand that.”

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“So Vanessa, we all a part of that family and we just try to support her and the family as much as we can.” 

Chris Paul outlined Kobe Bryant’s importance to the NBA perfectly. The late Lakers legend was close to a bevy of players that have blossomed in superstars today such as Kyre Irving, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He meant so much to so many players across the league and though he’s not here with us physically, his presence is felt every single day. 

    About the author

    Samir Mehdi

    Samir Mehdi

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    Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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