It’s always bigger than basketball. Just one year and one day after the tragic death of Kobe and Gianna Bryant, Steph Curry honored his fellow “girl dad” on the basketball court. On Jan. 27, the Golden State Warriors guard wore custom sneakers with a photo of the late superstar and his daughter on one shoe and a photo with his own two daughters, Riley and Ryan, on the other shoe. It was a heavy week in the NBA as players reflected on the helicopter crash that left Kobe, Gianna, and seven others dead just one year ago, and Warriors players like Damion Lee and Kent Bazemore also wore Kobe-inspired shoes for the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Steph shared a closer look at the custom Under Armour sneakers on social media writing: “Nobody said it better! #girldad,” a nod to an unforgettable story told after Kobe’s death that had the world applauding his love for being a dad. Last year, ESPN anchor Elle Duncan recalled the first time she met Kobe she was pregnant with a baby girl. Elle asked Kobe, who had three daughters at the time, if he and Vanessa Bryant would have another child and how crazy having four daughters would be. Kobe famously replied, “I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.”
Beyond the five championships and his 20 years in the NBA, Kobe’s proudest accomplishment was being a dad to four beautiful daughters. Check out photos of Steph’s sneakers that honor the Bryant family ahead.
Related: Vanessa Bryant Honors "Beautiful and Kind" Kobe and Gianna in Touching Instagram Post
