It is well known that high heels are painful to walk in, let alone play basketball in. However, 13-year-old Gianna “Gigi” Bryant (daughter of five-time NBA champion and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant) did not let that stop her. Gianna’s mother, Vanessa Bryant, recently released an Instagram video and photos of her daughter shooting and dribbling around a basketball in a pair of high heels during her team’s practice after attending a Christmas show. Vanessa Bryant wrote a humorous caption accompanying the post that reads: “Showing up to practice after the Christmas show. #mambacita #buckets #stilettobooties. Don’t mess up mommy’s shoes…. k thx.”
During his legendary career as a Los Angeles Laker, Kobe Bryant was known for his fierce work ethic and his relentless competitiveness. Kobe played great defense, was excellent at driving to the hoop, and his shooting was so precise and accurate that he was nicknamed the “Black Mamba”, after the venomous snake.
Naturally, Gianna inherited her father’s talent, as she is also excellent at driving to the hoop and can shoot quite well. Kobe posted an Instagram video of Gianna at a team scrimmage making a fadeaway jump shot with defenders in her face, similar to what her father was famous for doing to many defenders during his illustrious career. Kobe’s caption reads: “I hate seeing my #teammamba girls play against each other. This is GREAT defense by our mamba pg Alyssa Altobelli and a familiar looking fade by our 2gd the #Mambacita.”
Since his retirement in 2016, Kobe Bryant has spent much of his time showing young children how to become great athletes and to that end, he has hosted seminars, written books, and he currently coaches Gianna’s middle school basketball team. Kobe explained that he teaches Gianna and her teammates by trying to “pique their curiosity … because then they own their own development.”
Photos: Instagram
