Who Was Gianna Bryant? Wiki, Age, Birthday, Height, Family, School & Death

Gianna Bryant (born 1 May 2006 – died 26 January 2020, Aged: 13 years old), also known as Gigi or Mambacita, was the second daughter of NBA legend Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa Bryant. She was a talented and aspiring basketball player who shared her father’s passion and skills for the game. She tragically died in a helicopter crash along with her father and seven other people on January 26, 2020, near Calabasas, California. She was 13 years old.

Early Life and Family

Gianna was born on May 1, 2006, in Orange County, California, United States. She was the second of four daughters of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, who married in 2001. Her older sister is Natalia Diamante Bryant, and her younger sisters are Bianka Bella Bryant and Capri Kobe Bryant. Her mother is of Mexican descent, while her father is of African-American and Italian descent. Her father Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest basketball players of all time, who won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and was an 18-time All-Star, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the 2008 NBA MVP. Her parents named her Gianna after her father’s nickname, Gianni, which means “God is gracious” in Italian.

Gianna grew up in a loving and supportive family, who often attended her basketball games and other activities. She was especially close to her father, who coached her and mentored her in basketball. She also enjoyed spending time with her sisters, whom she called her best friends. She attended Harbor Day School, a private school in Newport Beach, California, where she excelled academically and athletically. She was a devout Catholic and attended church regularly with her family.

Gianna Bryant Wiki/Bio

Basketball Career and Aspirations

Gianna Bryant inherited her father’s love and talent for basketball at a young age. She started playing competitive basketball at her school and soon became a star player for her middle school team. She also played for the Mamba Sports Academy, a training facility founded by her father, where she received coaching and guidance from him. She played for the club Mamba Ballers at the U-10 level and stayed there until she reached the U-15 level in 2020. She was a versatile and skilled player, who could play multiple positions and had a high basketball IQ. She was known for her aggressive defense, sharp shooting, and signature fadeaway, which she learned from her father. She was also a team player, who encouraged and motivated her teammates.

Gianna had big dreams and goals for her basketball career. She wanted to play college basketball for the University of Connecticut, a women’s basketball powerhouse and her father’s favorite team. She also wanted to play in the WNBA, the professional women’s basketball league in the US, and represent her country in the Olympics. She hoped to continue her father’s legacy and make her mark in the basketball world. Her father was confident that she would achieve her aspirations and often praised her potential and work ethic. He also said that she was the female version of him and that she had the Mamba mentality, a term he coined to describe his fierce and relentless approach to the game.

Bryant was widely recognized and admired for her basketball skills and passion. She had many fans and supporters, including some of the biggest names in basketball, such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Diana Taurasi, and Sabrina Ionescu. She also had the opportunity to meet and learn from some of her idols, such as Geno Auriemma, the head coach of the UConn women’s basketball team, and Sue Bird, a four-time WNBA champion and four-time Olympic gold medalist. She often attended WNBA, UConn, and Los Angeles Lakers games with her father, where they analyzed and discussed the game. She also appeared in several interviews and documentaries with her father, where they talked about their bond and love for basketball.

Death and Legacy

Gianna Bryant’s life was cut short on January 26, 2020, when she and her father were on their way to a basketball tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California. They boarded a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter at John Wayne Airport in California, along with seven other people: John Altobelli, a baseball coach at Orange Coast College, his wife Keri and their daughter Alyssa, who was Gianna’s teammate; Christina Mauser, a basketball coach at Harbor Day School and the Mamba Sports Academy; Sarah Chester and her daughter Payton, who was also Gianna’s teammate; and Ara Zobayan, the pilot. The helicopter crashed into a hillside in Calabasas, California, amid foggy weather conditions, and burst into flames. There were no survivors. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Gianna Bryant’s death, along with her father’s and the other victims, shocked and saddened millions of people around the world, who mourned and paid tribute to them. Her school, the Mamba Sports Academy, the Los Angeles Lakers, the WNBA, UConn, and many other organizations and individuals honored her memory and legacy with various gestures and ceremonies. Her funeral was held on February 7, 2020, at Pacific View Mortuary & Memorial Park in Newport Beach, California, where she was buried alongside her father. A public memorial service was held on February 24, 2020, at Staples Center in Los Angeles, where her mother Vanessa Bryant delivered a heartfelt and emotional eulogy for her and her father.

Gianna Bryant’s life and basketball career may have been short, but they were full of love, joy, and inspiration. She was a beloved daughter, sister, friend, teammate, student, and athlete, who touched many lives with her smile, kindness, and spirit. She was a passionate and talented basketball player, who followed her father’s footsteps and had a bright future ahead of her. She was a role model and a trailblazer for many young girls and women who aspire to play basketball and pursue their dreams. She was a Mambacita, who embodied the Mamba mentality and the Mamba legacy. She was Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, and she had next.

Boyfriend and Relationship

According to the web search results, Gianna did not have a boyfriend or a romantic relationship at the time of her death. She was only 13 years old and was focused on her basketball career and education. She was very close to her father, who coached her and supported her dreams. She also had a loving bond with her mother and sisters, who often attended her basketball games and other activities.

Height, Weight, and Physical Stats

Gianna Bryant was a tall and athletic girl, who inherited her father’s height and skills. According to the web search results, she was 5 feet 10 inches (1.77 m) tall and weighed 128 pounds (58 kg). She played as a point guard or a shooting guard for her school and club teams. She wore the number 2 on her basketball jersey, while her father wore the number 24 on his.

Ethnicity and Religion

Gianna was of mixed ethnicity, as her father was of African-American and Italian descent, while her mother was of Mexican descent. She had a British ancestry from her paternal grandfather’s side. She was a devout Catholic and attended church regularly with her family. She was also proud of her cultural heritage and celebrated both American and Mexican holidays and traditions.

Gianna Bryant had a verified Instagram account, @gigionore, where she posted photos and videos of her basketball highlights, family, and friends. She had over 2.6 million followers as of September 2023. Bryant was a fan of Harry Potter and Disney movies. She also liked to play piano and sing. Gianna was named after her paternal great-grandmother, Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant, who was born in Italy and married Kobe Bryant’s grandfather, Joseph Bryant. Bryant wore the number 2 on her basketball jersey, while her father wore the number 24 on his. Their numbers, along with the number 8, which Kobe Bryant also wore during his career, were retired by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

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