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WNBA reportedly planning to honor Gigi Bryant, teammates at draft

By Bria Felicien

STORRS, CONNECTICUT - JANUARY 27: A jersey to honor Gianna Bryant sits on the UConn bench before the USA Women's National Team Winter Tour 2020 game between the United States and the UConn Huskies at The XL Center on January 27, 2020 in Hartford, Connecticut. Bryant and her father, former NBA player Kobe Bryant, were killed in a helicopter crash on January 26. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
STORRS, CONNECTICUT - JANUARY 27: A jersey to honor Gianna Bryant sits on the UConn bench before the USA Women's National Team Winter Tour 2020 game between the United States and the UConn Huskies at The XL Center on January 27, 2020 in Hartford, Connecticut. Bryant and her father, former NBA player Kobe Bryant, were killed in a helicopter crash on January 26. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /
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The WNBA plans to honor the late Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, Payton Chester and Alyssa Altobelli at the draft on April 17, according to the New York Post.

The three young basketball players and teammates were on the way a basketball tournament when the helicopter they were traveling in crashed. Gigi, the daughter of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, had declared her desire to play both at the University of Connecticut and in WNBA.

Many tributes to both Kobe and Gigi have taken place at sporting events over the six days that have followed the crash. Figures across women’s basketball, from those who Gigi admired to those who simply appreciated her work ethic and love for the game, reacted to the tragedy and honored her and her father on social media immediately following the crash.

The exhibition game between the UConn Huskies and the U.S. women’s national basketball team featured multiple attempts to honor the father and daughter, including a seat dressed a No. 2 Huskies jersey and adorned with flowers to honor Gigi, a pre-game video honoring both, and 24-second and 8-second violations to honor Kobe.

Now, according to what league commissioner Cathy Engelbert said Friday when speaking at a Super Bowl event in Miami, we can expect some sort of recognition for the three girls on the WNBA level at April’s draft.

“We are going to honor the three girls at our WNBA draft this year in April,” Engelbert said. “We have a lot of ideas.”

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