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          Mamba Day 2023 - Lakers and more celebrate Kobe's legacy

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          The moments behind Kobe's lasting legacy (1:38)

          Take a look back at the 20-year career and lasting legacy of Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant. (1:38)

          • ESPN staffAug 24, 2023, 05:21 PM

          Mamba Day 2023 is here, and several celebrations are in place to celebrate the late Kobe Bryant.

          Aug. 24, often stylized as 8/24, is the day after his birthday and matches the numbers he wore with the Los Angeles Lakers. To commemorate the back-to-back days, Nike debuted the Nike Kobe 8 Protro "Halo" sneakers on what would have been his 45th birthday. It is the first sneaker in Bryant's line since his death in January 2020.

          According to a news release, Nike Basketball partnered with his widow, Vanessa Bryant on the Halo concept, an annual release that will honor and celebrate the special date.

          Last week, Vanessa and their eldest daughter Natalia revealed their new Mamba Day collection featuring an all-white sweatshirt-and-shorts set. The embroidered Mamba logo matches the triple-white colorway on the shoes, which also include embroidery on the swoosh and Mamba logos.

          Mamba Day celebrations were widespread to honor the Hall of Famer:

          LA Love

          The Lakers provided new parents with No. 24 shirts, and newborns received blankets and beanie hats with the No. 8 on them. It is a similar gift package to what the team provided at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital last year.

          Read more: Lakers send gifts to babies born on Kobe Bryant's birthday

          The ferris wheel at the Santa Monica Pier will be lit with purple and gold messages to recognize the day.

          The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the road facing the Cleveland Guardians for Mamba Day, but the team announced plans to acknowledge Bryant upon returning from their road trip.

          Read more: Dodgers to give away Kobe Bryant-themed jerseys

          Vanessa Bryant announced on the Lakers' social media accounts that a statue of him would be unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena, the "house that Kobe built," on Feb. 8, 2024.

          The sports world remembers

          Tributes to the Black Mamba poured in on social media, celebrating Bryant's life and legacy.