The king of Los Angeles and Lakers legend Kobe Bryant would’ve turned 47 years old today, only if his life hadn’t been cut short by the tragic helicopter crash that also took away his daughter, Gigi Bryant, and seven others back in 2020. However, even though he isn’t with us today, the Mamba’s legacy has been beautifully carried by his widow, Vanessa Bryant, and three daughters, as the 43-year-old took Instagram to pen a heartfelt message for her late husband on what would’ve been his special day.

Vanessa posted a beautiful picture of her kissing Kobe from when the couple visited Italy. While the post in itself was quite warm and nostalgic, it was the caption that truly struck a chord with the fans and supporters of the NBA legend. “We love and miss you and Gigi so much. Sending our love to you. Happy birthday, baby. @kobebryant ❤️” She wrote. However, wasn’t all what made the post even more special was Vanessa’s song selection.

The 43-year-old accompanied the picture with the song “Sending My Love” by Zhané. This was truly a lovely gesture from Vanessa, who continues to do a great job at not just carrying Kobe Bryant’s legacy but also raising their three daughters– Natalia, Bianka, and Capri. Meanwhile, it wasn’t just Mamba’s family that honored him on his birthday, but Kobe’s team, the Los Angeles Lakers, also showed love to their former superstar through a stunning post on X.

The Purple & Gold posted a graphic of Kobe repping his iconic No. 8 jersey going for a dunk with a really special message. “The heart of Los Angeles – Happy Birthday, Kobe,” the Lakers posted. The franchise paid their respects to the forward for his lasting impact not just to the Lakers organization but to the game of basketball. However, these weren’t all the wishes that poured in for the five-time NBA champion, as her daughter Natalia also shared an unseen moment to celebrate her late dad’s birthday.

Natalia Bryant shares a special birthday post for her dad

There’s no doubt that August 23 is a tough day in the Bryant household, but also a day where they have to show their love on what would’ve been the Mamba’s 47th birthday. It’s hard to think it’s been six years since the Los Angeles Lakers superstar passed away. Since then, his oldest daughter, Natalia, has grown into a beautiful 22-year-old woman carrying her father’s mentality and legacy. So, it’s no surprise that she followed her mother in wishing her dad a happy birthday.

Natalia posted a throwback photo of her with Kobe Bryant, in which the father-daughter duo is seen mimicking a statue. “Happy Birthday Daddy ❤️,” She captioned the sweetest picture. This lovely gesture comes after she recently paid tribute to he late father on a couple of special occasions. The first was when the 22-year-old graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in film and had an amazing tribute to Kobe on her stole.

She made sure that alongside all her achievements in the University, her stole also honored the legacy of her father, which she did by mentioning Kobe’s motto and his logo. However, this wasn’t the only occasion where Natalia paid tribute to her father. She also put her film degree to use in a sick Nike commercial featuring New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson to promote her dad’s new Kobe 3 Protro sneakers. So, it’s safe to assume that the former Lakers star, along with Gigi, will be smiling down on his family’s lovely wishes.