Kobe Bryant’s handprints, footprints to be permanently displayed outside TCL Chinese Theatre

Kobe Bryant is already one of the most legendary figures in American sports history, but now he has been immortalized alongside some of the biggest stars in Hollywood.

In a ceremony on Wednesday, Bryant’s handprints and footprints were placed in the forecourt of the famous TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss and former Lakers head coach Byron Scott both spoke at the ceremony honoring Bryant, according to CBS Los Angeles.

The imprints of Bryant’s hands and feet had been in storage since February 2011, when he created them as part of an event before the NBA All-Star Game at the Staples Center. Bryant was the first athlete to have his hands and feet imprinted in cement at the Chinese Theatre, and now those impressions will sit outside the L.A. landmark forever.

Back in 2011, Bryant told KCAL that it was a “tremendous honor” to create his own imprints as so many Hollywood stars had done in the past. The idea that his handprints and footprints would be part of the city for a long time to come was not lost on Bryant.

“You come back in 100 years, it’s going to be there,” Bryant said. “It’s not going anywhere. It’s here forever. You are part of Los Angeles forever.”

After his NBA career, Bryant dove into producing projects on his own. Most notably, Bryant wrote and produced a short film entitled “Dear Basketball” that won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018. Bryant also wrote and produced the show “Detail” for ESPN+.