Calipari thanks Bryants for plan honoring Gigi

John Calipari thanked Vanessa Bryant and her daughter, Natalia, after the family sent the Kentucky coach a plan to honor Gigi Bryant on what would have been her 17th birthday Monday.In a video he posted on Twitter, Calipari said he will frame Gigi’s jersey and hang it in his office. Gigi and Kobe Bryant both passed away in a helicopter crash together with seven others in 2020.

The package, by means of the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, included a plaque commemorating Gigi’s birthday, a program from her and her father’s funeral that was held at the Staples Center, a pair of shoes and other presents for the long time coach.I just received the most unbelievable present from Vanessa

and Natalia Bryant.Happy 17th birthday, Gigi !! Thinking today of Gigi and all of the lives she touched and continues to touch!!

#PlayGigisWay pic.twitter.com/mruCZIFaop!.?.!— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari )Might 1, 2023″ Vanessa, thank you. Natalia, thank you. I can’t wait to see you people

,”Calipari stated in the video.”You understand I appreciate you both. For Gigi’s birthday, to do all this, 17th birthday, you understand my heart goes out to both of you at this time. For you to do this for me, thank you. “Kobe and Calipari are forever linked since of the 1996 NBA draft. At the time, Calipari was a first-year head coach with the New Jersey Nets and Kobe was a promising high school star. Last year, Calipari and Kentucky guys’s basketball partnered with the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Structure to develop an abilities camp for underserved youth in Kentucky.The Nets, who had the eighth pick in 1996, chosen former Villanova star Kerry Kittles because draft and Bryant went to the Los Angeles Lakers at 13. Calipari stated he ‘d pushed for the

team to select Kobe, but he couldn’t get the other power brokers within the franchise to back him. Calipari said Kobe would later on joke with him that he ‘d”still remain in the NBA “if the Internet had actually selected him.The Webs fired Calipari in the strike-shortened 1999 NBA season following a 3-17 start.”Everyone thought I was nuts, “Calipari said on his radio show three years back after Kobe’s and Gigi’s death.” High school kid, he was 17 years of ages

.”Calipari said the reaction he received from the organization was that”you do not know what you’re doing”due to the fact that he was so brand-new to the NBA. Other reports have actually stated Bryant and his group had actually informed the Internet he would choose to play overseas if the franchise had actually decided to pick him.