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Orange County has introduced The Orange County Hall of Fame to honor well-known figures from Southern California for their remarkable journeys, accomplishments, and contributions in the county and beyond. The inaugural class of 2023 includes Kobe Bryant, whose legacy remains despite him not being physically on earth with us.
To express gratitude to Orange County’s government for the distinction, Vanessa Bryant shared the news on Instagram. “Kobe’s legacy and connection to OC will forever be celebrated. This month he was inducted into the first ever Orange County Hall of Fame. #MambaForever #InauguralClass #OCHOF 👑 🐍❤️ 🍊,” she wrote on social media.
Kobe and his family lived in Newport Coast from 2002 until his untimely passing in January 2020. The five-time NBA Champion, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, NBA MVP, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 15-time All-NBA player, 18-time NBA All-Star, and the NBA’s 3rd all-time leading scorer founded Granity Studios in 2016, a multi-media content creation company for athletes.
Headquartered in Newport Beach, CA, Granity Studios launched several content projects, including Kobe Bryant’s Muse documentary film, Detail on ESPN+, and the Dear Basketball animated short film, which won the 2018 Academy Award.
In addition to Kobe, the inaugural class of Orange County Hall of Fame also honors Frank Jao, General William Lyon, Walt Disney, Bill Medley, Gwen Stefani, Henry Segerstrom, Amanda Beard, Greg Louganis, and Tiger Woods.
Kobe Bryant’s image is all over California
In addition to Orange County, Kobe Bryant’s image is all over California, which his eldest daughter, Natalia, enjoys seeing. During an interview with Town & Country, the student and model said despite seeing him and her sister’s street art can be bittersweet, she still appreciates the love. “I love seeing the murals. Whenever I see them when I’m driving around, I’m like, ‘Oh, okay.’ They feel like special gems,” she told the publication.
And although the legacy of her lost family members weighs on her, she embraces every part of it with pride. “In terms of legacy, my main goal is just to be the best version of me that I possibly can,” she says.