Vanessa Bryant marked what would have been Kobe Bryant’s 48th birthday with an intimate photograph from their years together and a message that needed only a few words.
“Happy birthday, baby. I love you so much,” Vanessa wrote in an Instagram post shared on August 23. The sunny outdoor photograph shows the couple smiling together, with Vanessa wrapping her arms around Kobe as he sits with her.
Daughter Natalia Bryant was among those who responded, while Michael Phelps, David Beckham, Russell Wilson, Gabrielle Union and others also left messages, according to TMZ.
The date also begins an annual two-day period closely associated with Kobe’s legacy in Los Angeles. His August 23 birthday comes immediately before August 24 or 8/24, reflecting the two jersey numbers he wore during his 20 seasons with the Lakers.
Vanessa Kept Her Birthday Message to Kobe Short
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“Happy birthday, baby. I love you so much. ❤️🙏🏽 8/23,” she captioned the image. Vanessa also shared the photograph to her Instagram Story, where she called Kobe “Boo-Boo” and paired the tribute with Lauryn Hill’s “Tell Him,” according to PEOPLE.
Kris Jenner and Michael Phelps left heart emojis, while Russell Wilson wrote, “Love this.” David Beckham, Gabrielle Union, Tina Knowles and Rachel Zoe were also among the public figures who responded.
Vanessa has made birthday tributes a recurring part of her public remembrance of Kobe. In 2025, she marked what would have been his 47th birthday with a photograph of herself kissing him during a European trip. “We love and miss you and Gigi so much,” she wrote at the time. “Sending our love to you. Happy birthday, baby.” Natalia also shared her own childhood photograph with Kobe that year.
Natalia and Kobe’s Famous Friends Joined the Remembrance
Natalia, now 23, responded to her mother’s latest post with a heart. TMZ also identified Phelps, La La Anthony, Beckham, Wilson and Union among those who left messages beneath Vanessa’s tribute. Vanessa additionally joined the Lakers and NBA accounts for another birthday post honoring Kobe as an “Icon. Legend. Laker.”
Kobe and Vanessa met in 1999 and married in April 2001. They became parents to Natalia in 2003 and Gianna in 2006, followed by Bianka in 2016 and Capri in 2019.
Kobe and 13-year-old Gianna died alongside seven other people in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, on January 26, 2020. Kobe was 41.
Vanessa has continued publicly honoring both Kobe and Gianna through family tributes and the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, which supports underserved athletes and works to expand opportunities for boys and girls in sports.
Kobe’s Birthday Leads Directly Into 8/24
August 24 carries its own connection to Bryant’s career. The Los Angeles City Council designated the date Kobe Bryant Day in 2016, choosing 8/24 because Kobe wore both No. 8 and No. 24 during his Lakers career.
The Lakers retired both numbers on December 18, 2017. Kobe wore No. 8 during the first half of his career before switching to No. 24 ahead of the 2006-07 season. Kobe is the only player in NBA history to have two different jersey numbers retired by the same franchise.
Both halves of his Lakers career produced championship-level success. Across 20 seasons with the organization, Kobe won five NBA titles, earned 18 All-Star selections and spent his entire NBA career in Los Angeles.