"Best thing he can do after being down 3-1" : Fans hail Luka Doncic's $5,000 efforts to restore vandalised Kobe Bryant & Gigi Bryant's mural in LA
After Kobe Bryant, Luka Doncic is in a prime position to become the next great LA Lakers guard. As he follows in the footsteps of the Black Mamba, the Slovenian guard is doing his part to preserve the late Bryant's memory through a generous donation.
That donation goes toward restoring a mural featuring both Kobe and Gianna Bryant, which has been vandalized. Doncic made a $5000 donation to this project's fundraiser on GoFundMe to aid in the restoration.
While this can be considered a classy move from Luka Doncic, it still drew out some trolls.
"Best thing he can do for LA this time after being down 3-1," one person said.
"Anything except to win basketball games," one person tweeted.
"Why didn’t he donate 10k?" Another asked.
Other people's reactions ranged from praise for Doncic and bewilderment that someone would deface the mural.
"Luka Dončić’s $5,000 donation to restore the Kobe and Gianna mural is a heartfelt gesture of respect and solidarity. A true tribute to basketball’s legacy," one fan tweeted.
"Who the hell would vandalize that. Just pathetic." one person said.
"What is wrong with people who would vandalize that," another tweeted.
The mural in downtown Los Angeles - created by Sloe Motions in 2020 - was defaced for the first time, per a Los Angeles Times article. The article mentions that the artist has thanked Luka Doncic for his donation and expresses pride in being part of the Lakers.
Also read: NBA analyst rips into Luka Doncic’s lackluster defense amid Lakers’ struggling playoff run: “It’s laughable”
Luka Doncic shares what drove him to donate to the restoration of Kobe and Gigi Bryant's mural
Kobe Bryant's LA legend status is unforgettable. He spent his career with the Lakers, winning five championships and creating countless memories for fans.
To the community, Bryant will forever be an icon and Luka Doncic realizes the importance of giving back to that community.
"Like I always say, my foundation gives back to organizations in the community," Doncic said. "It's always important to give back to the community that gave me so much. So just wanted to give back."
The $ 5,000 donation made by Luka Doncic was the exact amount that GoFundMe was raising to restore the mural. A few others have donated before and after Doncic essentially completed the fundraiser. At the time of writing, it has already raised $5,608.
This mural is just one of many pieces of art dedicated to remembering Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash along with seven others in January 2020.
