Kobe and Gianna Bryant Basketball 'Dream Court' Opens at Playground in Philadelphia

A basketball court honoring Philadelphia native Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who both died in a helicopter crash in 2020, was unveiled in the Pennsylvania city on Tuesday, June 14.

The court in Philadelphia’s Overbrook neighborhood was one of three opened by the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation and Nancy Lieberman Charities as part of their Dream Courts initiative.

Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, joined city leaders and charity partners for the court’s opening at the Tustin Playground on Tuesday, Fox 29 reported.

“I chose this location so that young people in this community may have a safe space to play with equal opportunity, which was important to Kobe and Gianna,” wrote Vanessa on Instagram.

According to Fox 29, Vanessa said her late husband’s love for basketball began in Philadelphia, and that he frequented Tustin Playground when he was younger.

Kobe and Gianna were among nine people killed in a helicopter accident in January of 2020.

This video taken by Instagram user @erikthaviking, who said he filmed it on Tuesday, shows people playing on the basketball court. Credit: @erikthaviking via Storyful

Video transcript

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