CEBU CITY, Philippines— The Kobe Bryant-inspired basketball court in Barangay Duljo Fatima here is finally complete.
Vibrant with the Los Angeles Lakers’ colors of purple and yellow, the basketball court is truly a great tribute to the basketball legend known as the ‘Black Mamba,” who perished in a tragic helicopter crash on Sunday, January 26, 2020, in Southern California.
Freelance artist Laurence Yuyen Ravina started the project with his painting of Kobe at center court.
Laurence Ravina works on his mural painting of his basketball idol, Kobe Bryant, at the San Vicente gym in Barangay Duljo Fatima. Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, January 26, 2020. | CDN Digital file
Read: Avid Kobe fan from Cebu City uses talent to pay tribute to fallen basketball legend
After more than a week of painting the entire basketball court, Ravina shared with CDN Digital the final look of the court.
“It was a team effort from the people here, I was assisted by the youth of our barangay and the basketball players too,” said Ravina of the Kobe-inspired court that was completed February 3, 2020, a week after Bryant’s death.
Locals help in completing the painting of the court to the Lakers’ purple and gold. contributed photo | Laurence Ravina
For the funds? He didn’t have to look far to get help.
Read: Cebuanos remember Kobe Bryant’s basketball legacy through artworks
“The funds came from the people in the barangay with the help of our barangay officials and of course from the young ones to the adults. We solicited from them for any amount and surprisingly they gave whatever they can with no hesitations,” added Ravina.
Just like that, a single person’s effort to pay tribute to his basketball idol turned into a community effort. All for the love of a legend.
contributed photo | Laurence Ravina
Now, basketball fans from this village in the Queen City of the South will always remember Kobe Bryant and his legacy. /bmjo