When a beloved mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna was defaced in downtown Los Angeles, it was Lakers star Luka Dončić who stepped in to make things right — quietly donating $5,000 to fully fund its restoration.
The act of generosity brought renewed attention to the mural, which is one of hundreds around the world honoring Kobe and Gianna after their tragic deaths in a 2020 helicopter crash.
The website KobeMural.com tracks these tributes and currently lists 653 murals across the globe dedicated to father and daughter, with more than 330 located in Southern California alone. But it’s the one at 1361 Main Street in downtown Los Angeles making recent headlines.
In an act of vandalism that shocked fans and the local community, in late April, the street art, titled “Mambas Forever,” which features baby Gigi being held by Kobe, was marred with graffiti and white paint by an unknown perpetrator.
In a post to Instagram, KobeMural shared the news, writing, “Unfortunately one of the first Kobe and Gigi murals has been vandalized in Downtown Los Angeles.”
Louie Palsino (known professionally as Sloe Motions), the Los Angeles-based artist who created the mural, immediately launched a fundraising campaign to cover the repair costs — and that’s when Dončić, a five-time NBA All-Star, stepped in — completely funding the restoration with a $5,000 donation.
According to NBC News, Dončić confirmed the donation through his nonprofit, the Luka Dončić Foundation, which is described on its website as “a youth development foundation creating positive change worldwide” that aims to “build bridges between cultures to transform young lives through the power of play.”
In a statement shared with the outlet, Dončić said, “Kobe is L.A. He and Gigi mean so much to this city, to the Lakers organization, and to me personally. I’m honored to help ensure they’re remembered in a way that reflects their lasting impact.”
Using the hashtag #MambasForever, on Friday in a post to Instagram, KobeMural announced that “The Kobe and Gigi Bryant mural in Downtown Los Angeles has been restored.”
Later adding, “Thank you @lukadoncic @lukadoncicfoundation for the donation and to @sloe_motions and everyone else involved in the restoration.”
