For some years now, Kobe Bryant has embraced the The Black Mamba nickname. He’s rocked shoes with snakesin on them and reportedly even hisses like the dangerous snake when he wants the ball. Speaking of snakes, Bryant will now have one named after him.
On Friday, the Lakers will be in Atlanta to face the Hawks. To honor Bryant, the Hawks have teamed up with Zoo Atlanta, who will name their black mamba snake Kobe.
“Zoo Atlanta is thrilled to be part of this very special tribute. Mr. Bryant is a legend on the court, and the black mamba is a legend in the wild,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO of Zoo Atlanta, via NBA.com. “We’re proud to partner with our home team, the Atlanta Hawks, on recognizing Mr. Bryant’s contributions to sports with the naming of this animal, and we hope everyone will visit Scaly Slimy Spectacular, our newest destination at Zoo Atlanta, to see the new namesake in person.”
With Bryant announcing his retirement at season’s end, there will almost certainly be a tribute by each team when the Lakers come to town for the final this season. The Sixers had a special pregame ceremony for Bryant earlier this week. There were even people at the game from Italy who quit their jobs and flew to Philadelphia to see him play.
This is the last go around for one of the NBA’s greats. All of the attention and accolades he receives are certainly deserved.
Photo via: NBA.com
