The Bryant family remembered Gianna on what would have been her sixteenth birthday on Sunday.
In honor of her late daughter's birthday, Vanessa Bryant, the widow of late basketball star Kobe Bryant, shared several tributes on social media, writing in one post: "Happy 16th birthday baby girl. I love you Gigi! We miss you so much."
She also shared a special video she narrated in honor of Gigi's birthday.
"Dear Gianna, from the first time you imagined winning a WNBA championship, I knew one thing was real -- you were special," she said in the video, which featured an animated version of Gigi. "You came from greatness, but it was never about what you inherited. It was about what you gave to others."
"When someone stands up for gender equality, I see you fighting up alongside them," she continued. "And every time someone plays her hardest, I know that's you on the court. Love you always, basketball."
The tribute mirrored the style of her late husband's 2017 Oscar-winning animated short "Dear Basketball."
In honor of Gigi's birthday, Nike also released the Kobe VI "Sweet Sixteen" shoe. The Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, which was created to honor Kobe and Gigi's legacies, said the shoe sold out in two minutes.
Vanessa Bryant wrote about how much the collaboration meant to her in a separate post. "I'm so happy with the way these Mambacita shoes came out in honor of my daughter, Gigi," she shared. "Thank you @nike #Mambacita #2 #Forever #BabyGirl ❤️ #16 #SweetSixteen #5106 ❤️ #PlayGigisWay I love you Gigi! ❤️"
Gigi's older sister, Natalia, also shared a tribute for her on Instagram.
Alongside a throwback photo of the sisters embracing, Natalia wrote, "happy sweet sixteen my dearest gigi♥️I love you to the moon and back 🌙forever & always."
Gianna, aka Gigi, died at the age of 13 alongside her father, Kobe Bryant, and seven others in a helicopter crash in January 2020.
