Lakers star Luka Dončić made a touching gesture after one of the murals honoring late basketball legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gigi had been vandalized in Downtown Los Angeles.
The mural, created by artist Sloe Motions, served as one of the many tributes dotted around the city following the helicopter crash that killed the father-daughter duo and 7 others in 2020.
The image showed Bryant planting a kiss on his daughter’s forehead alongside the text “Mambas Forever” — referencing Bryant’s “Black Mamba” nickname.
The artwork, which is plastered on the wall of a custom t-shirt shop, is located less than a mile away from the Lakers’ Crypto.com Arena.
On Monday, the artist took to Instagram to share heartbreaking before and after images of the mural after it was covered with white spray paint.
As a result, the artist set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds for a restoration.
Shortly after launching the crowdfunding page, the Slovenian basketball star generously donated the fundraiser’s entire $5,000 goal.
“It was always important to give back to the community,” Dončić told AP after practice Tuesday. “They gave me so much, so I just want to give back.”
“Kobe is L.A. He and Gigi mean so much to this city, to the Lakers organization and to me personally,” he went on. “I’m happy to do anything to help make sure he and his daughter are honored.”
After the touching gesture, Sloe Motions let his 137,000 followers know of Dončić’s generosity.
“Update: @lukadoncic has made a generous donation to help cover the cost of restoring the Kobe and Gigi mural. 💜💛,” the artist wrote on social media.
“Can’t spell Luka without the LA,” one person wrote in the comments section, while another added, “Kobe murals are sacred. This means so much, thank you @lukadoncic 🫶💜✨🥹.”
“Luka the next lakers great for years to come 💜💛 big respect,” a third wrote.
While Dončić only became a Laker in February following his blockbuster trade from the Mavericks, the athlete was lovingly featured in a Bryant mural earlier this year.
The artwork, shared on Instagram, showed him shaking hands with Bryant following a Mavericks game that he attended before his death.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, six other passengers and a pilot died in a California helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.
