The Dodgers celebrated the life of late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant Friday night, hosting a bobblehead night where the first 40,000 fans received the souvenir of him in a batting stance while donning his classic No. 24 uniform.
L.A. hosted his family, wife Vanessa and daughters Natalia, Bianka and Capri, for the special occasion. Before the game, Bianka got to throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman in what was an incredibly sweet moment.
Bianka Bryant threw out the first pitch on Kobe Bryant bobblehead night 💙 pic.twitter.com/8zUSlaeFjk
— ESPN (@espn) August 9, 2025
The Dodgers are giving away a Kobe Bryant bobblehead tonight 🏀 pic.twitter.com/Cy5VklSsoz
— MLB (@MLB) August 9, 2025
The team honored Bryant on Aug. 8, a nod to the No. 8 that the Lakers superstar wore over the first half of his NBA career. The Dodgers have continued to honor Bryant in recent seasons. Bianka threw out the first pitch last year as well on a night where fans received Dodgers Bryant jerseys as a giveaway. In 2023, they also gave away Bryant-themed baseball jerseys that had a black snakeskin print in honor of his "Black Mamba" nickname.
Bryant and his daughter Gianna tragically passed away in a helicopter accident in 2020 along with seven others. The Dodgers have made it a tradition to honor Bryant each season, finding new ways to make heartwarming tributes for the basketball and L.A. legend.
In Friday's Bryant tribute game with Clayton Kershaw on the bump, the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays 5-1 with the help of a two-run homer from Mookie Betts.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kobe Bryant's Daughter Bianka Adorably Threw First Pitch on His Dodgers Bobblehead Night.
