Basketball fans remembered Kobe Bryant on 23 August 2026. He would have reached 50. News outlets published features on his best games and his iconic look. Nike re-released the Kobe 10 trainers with modern tweaks for the day. The Ferris wheel at Santa Monica Pier lit up in purple and gold colours.
Admirers shared tributes online. Fellow athletes did too. Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash in January 2020. His daughter Gianna died in the crash as well. Seven other people lost their lives in that same crash.