The Real Meaning Behind Kobe Bryant’s Tattoos

On January 26th, NBA MVP Kobe Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. The world was rocked by this news, with millions sharing their condolences on social media. Although Bryant was known first to the world as an incredible basketball player, he’s known second as a family man. Bryant was a loving father to four daughters and husband to his wife Vanessa, frequently sharing photos of his loved ones to social media or discussing his family in interviews. Another way that Bryant showed his loved for his family was through his tattoos.

On his right bicep, Kobe Bryant has an homage to his wife, Vanessa Laine Bryant. Bryant met his wife in 1999 when he was 21 and she was 17. They began dating and after six months, they were engaged in 2000 and then married in 2001.

In 2003, Bryant got his wife’s name and angel wings tattooed on his arm, amidst sexual assault allegations. After getting the tattoo, Bryant spoke out about his wife in an interview, saying:

“You’re my backbone. You’re a blessing. You’re a piece of my heart. You’re the air I breathe. And you’re the strongest person I know, and I’m so sorry for having to put you through this and having to put our family through this.”

The butterfly crown is also dedicated to Vanessa, which he’d added onto with shading years later. Lastly, below the wings, Bryant has “Psalm XXVII,” which was inked by notable Los Angeles tattooer Mister Cartoon. This tattoo represents Bryant’s faith, as he was raised in Catholic.

In addition to having numerous tattoos for his wife, he also has the names of his daughters inked on his forearm. Bryant and his wife has four daughters, Natalia Diamante (born in January 2003), Gianna Maria-Onore (born in May of 2006), Bianka Bella (born in December of 2016) and Capri Kobe (born in June of 2019). Bryant had intended to get his fourth daughter’s name tattooed on his body in 2020.

What do you think of Kobe Bryant’s tattoos? How were you impacted by his passing? Let us know your thoughts on the NBA player’s tattoos on social media.