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Vanessa Bryant renames Kobe's Mamba Sports Foundation to honor daughter Gianna

The nonprofit will now be called the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.

Vanessa Bryant has renamed her husband Kobe's sports nonprofit to honor her daughter, Gianna. 

Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were among nine people who died in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles late January.

The foundation will now be called the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation. Mambacita was Gianna's nickname. It was a variation of her father's nickname, "The Black Mamba." 

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"There is no #24 without #2," Vanessa Bryant wrote in an Instagram post, referring to her husband and daughter's basketball jersey numbers. "ur mission remains the same – and stronger than ever – to provide opportunities to young people through sports," she added. "Thank you all for the outpouring of support and your kind donations to date as we carry forth Kobe and Gigi’s legacy.. We hope to empower young athletes in a world they left us all to help shape."

 public memorial will be held on Feb. 24 at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. 

The date of the memorial, 2/24/20, carries heavy meaning to the Bryant family. 

Aside from the jersey numbers for Kobe and Gianna, the year, 20 represents the number of years Kobe played for the Los Angeles Lakers.

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