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Lakers Star Donates $5,000 to Restore Vandalized Kobe, Gianna Bryant Mural

Lakers Star Donates $5,000 to Restore Vandalized Kobe, Gianna Bryant Mural

Epoch Times01-05-2025
LOS ANGELES—Lakers star Luka Doncic donated $5,000 on April 29 to fund the restoration of a vandalized downtown Los Angeles mural depicting team legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
The mural, titled 'Mambas Forever,' is on the side of a building at the corner of 14th and Main streets. The mural by artist Sloe Motions, whose real name is Louie Palsino, was one of the first created following the 2020 death of Bryant and Gianna in a Calabasas helicopter crash.
The vandalism is believed to have occurred over the weekend, with graffiti covering much of the artwork.
Palsino created a GoFundMe
On Tuesday morning, Doncic donated the full $5,000 to the page.
'Kobe is L.A.,' Doncic said in a statement released by the Luka Doncic Foundation. 'He and Gigi mean so much to this city, to the Lakers organization and to me personally. I'm happy to do anything to help make sure he and his daughter are honored.'
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It was unclear how long the restoration effort would take. Palsino wrote on the GoFundMe page that all donations would go 'directly towards the materials needed for the restoration process, including high-quality paints, sealants and other essential supplies.'
'The Kobe & Gigi mural holds a special place in our hearts, symbolizing strength, legacy, and love,' Palsino wrote. 'By contributing to this cause, you are helping preserve a piece of art that continues to uplift and inspire our community.'
Kobe Bryant won five NBA championships and played his entire career with the Lakers.
Police have not identified any suspects in the vandalism.
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