Rumors

When New York street artist Andaluz finished his Costa Mesa mural honoring Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven others who lost their lives in a Jan. 26, 2020, helicopter crash, he dedicated it to a state that was still mourning the loss of one of its icons. “I truly hope this piece brings some comfort to all of those that were affected by this tragedy,” Andaluz wrote in an Instagram post Feb. 24, 2020, upon finishing the project, adding “This one is for you Cali. From New York with love.” Five years later, Andaluz’s loving depiction of Kobe and Gigi in that mural is going worldwide. That portrait of a stoic Bryant with his daughter resting her head on top of his is being used as the cover art for the upcoming book “Mamba & Mambacita Forever.”

Los Angeles Times

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) is pleased to announce it is partnering for the second year in a row with the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Andalucia, Spain to host “The Sanctuary”, a performance retreat for players. Through this partnership, the NBPA and a group of its members will visit the region again this summer for a retreat comprised of basketball and cultural activities. The players will stay in Andalucia and hold training sessions at the Training Center Higueron, called “The Embassy”, in Fuengirola, Spain, a brand-new state-of-the-art facility that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. During the retreat, NBPA members will also have the opportunity to engage in activities off of the basketball court, allowing them to explore Andalucia and learn more about the rich culture and history of the region.

NBPA

“In our efforts to create more growth opportunities for our players globally, Andalucia has proved to be the perfect destination for 'The Sanctuary', said Matteo Zuretti, the NBPA’s Chief of International Relations & Marketing. "The infrastructure, the local culture and the community's overall hospitality made all the difference last year, as we brought together players from ten different countries for this unique retreat. We are excited to partner again to deliver an elevated high-performance training experience in Europe for our players, who aim to travel with purpose during the off-season.”

NBPA