The Lakers on Friday afternoon unveiled the second Kobe Bryant statue, with the latest sculpture honoring the late Lakers icon’s relationship with his daughter, Gianna, and “his unwavering pride in being a “Girl Dad.”

The 1,800-pound bronze statue depicts Kobe and Gianna Bryant sitting courtside at a Lakers-Dallas Mavericks game on Dec. 29, 2019. Just like he was during the game, Kobe’s statue is wearing a Philadelphia Eagles beanie that Gianna gifted him and an orange WNBA hoodie.

The statue, which is outside Crypto.com Arena’s 11th Street entrance near Chick Hearn Court and Georgia Street, shows Kobe kissing his daughter on the head with his right arm around her. The statue is the second of three planned monuments to the Lakers legend, who died in a tragic helicopter crash along with Gigi and seven others on Jan. 26, 2020, in Calabasas.

Angel wings sit behind them, with the two also surrounded by hedges and rounded symmetrical benches reflecting an Italianate Garden as an ode to Kobe’s childhood in Italy. There are purple and gold flowers surrounding the sculpture and engraved butterflies made of purple onyx and golden vein onyx border the flowers “symbolizing transformation and hope.”

There’s a plaque in front of the statue that reads: “Gianna is a beast. She’s better than I was at her age. She’s got it. Girls are amazing. I would have five more girls if I could. I’m a girl dad.” The quote is attributed to Kobe Bryant, the “Most Valuable Girl Dad”.

Above the quote reads: “Gianna Bryant, Inspirational Icon for Girls in Sports” and “Kobe Bryant, Proud Supporter of Women in Sports” with the Mamba and Mambacita logo in the center.

— Southern California News Group

Golf

Weber leads Portland Classic >> Denied a spot in Paris because the Dutch Olympic committee didn’t think she was good enough to contend, Dewi Weber shot a 10-under 62 on Friday to take the second-round lead in the Portland Classic.

Weber qualified for the Olympics under International Golf Federation standards, but was left out because of the country’s separate standards for all sports to meet a realistic chance of a top-eight finish.

“We’re two rounds in, so we’ll see how this all unfolds and if I can really make a statement,” Weber said. “Of course it’s in the back of my mind because it’s the week before the Olympics. It was something that I was looking forward to. ...

“It sucks, but all we can do is like try to prove why those standards were so silly, and I really hope to do that on Sunday.”

Playing only her second LPGA Tour event of the year, Weber has a two-shot lead over first-round leader Polly Mack and past champion Andrea Lee.

Carner, 85, shoots 80 in Senior Women’s Open >> JoAnne Carner, at 85 years old, shot a 9-over 80 in the second round of the U.S. Senior Women’s Open at Fox Chapel in Pittsburgh.

A day after matching her age with an 85, Carner had consecutive birdies on the par-5 second and par-3 third on her second nine.

Carner has eight U.S. Golf Association titles, the most by a female player, winning the U.S. Women’s Open in 1971 and 1976, six U..S. Women’s Amateur titles and one U.S. Girls’ Junior championship.

Tennis

Swiatek withdraws from Toronto event >> Top-ranked Iga Swiatek withdrew from a U.S. Open tuneup in Toronto after winning a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

Swiatek was one of several players to withdraw from the National Bank Open, which begins Tuesday. Grand Slam champions Barbora Krejcikova, Elena Rybakina and Maketa Vondrousova also pulled out Friday along with Jasmine Paolini, Maria Sakkari, Danielle Collins and Caroline Garcia.

Swiatek has won five Grand Slam titles — four at the French Open, including this year, and one at the U.S. Open.