Russell Wilson honors Kobe Bryant's late daughter Gigi on what would have been her 19th birthday

New York Giants star quarterback Russell Wilson remembered Gianna "GiGi" Bryant on what would have been her 19th birthday. Kobe Bryant's daughter died in a fatal helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.

Wilson took to Instagram and shared a story to dedicate a message to Bryant, an avid basketball fan who was projected to become a professional player.

"Happy birthday, Gigi ♾️," Wilson captioned the post and tagged her mother, Vanessa, and big sister, Natalia Bryant.

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Vanessa Bryant shared a message to remember her daughter in an Instagram post.

"Happy birthday, Gigi! Mommy loves and misses you more than I could ever express. I love you Gianna. ❤️19 ♉️ 5/1," she captioned the post.

Five years after the fatal accident, people still remember her and her father, one of the most inspiring athletes of all time. Wilson wasn't different and joined fans and other athletes in remembering Bryant.

In April, Vanessa Bryant remembered her daughter when Paige Bueckers, Geno Auriemma and Co. won a record-breaking 12th national championship with the UConn Huskies, a team Gigi dreamed of representing.

"Gigi would've loved being there with you," Bryant wrote in her IG story. 'When you think you can't, UCONN' - Gianna Bryant. Congratulations @genoauriemma @uconnwbb."

Russell Wilson will try to prove doubters wrong with a new team. The New York Giants added Wilson as one of their veterans to mentor Jaxson Dart, their rookie quarterback from Ole Miss.

Russell Wilson reacted to Giants selecting Abdul Carter, Jaxson Dart in 2025 NFL draft

Russell Wilson turned some heads after he seemingly ignored the New York Giants' additions during the 2025 NFL draft. However, the former Super Bowl champion took to Instagram and celebrated the arrivals of Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart, two pieces expected to lead the "Big Blue" to success in the future.

Wilson reshared a post of the Giants' official account captioned "Your newest New York Giants."

“Congrats fellas, let’s go win," Wilson wrote.

Jameis Winston and Russell Wilson are expected to mentor Dart during his rookie season. The Giants will sit him for his rookie season, hoping that he learns as much as possible from the experienced quarterbacks.

The Giants have an intriguing prospect in Dart and a solid team to help him succeed when his time comes.

About the author

Orlando Silva joined the Sportskeeda team in 2024 as a member of the NBA roster as an analyst. After completing his bachelor's in English studies in 2016, he decided to pursue a career in sports journalism. Being an avid fan of the NBA, Orlando has covered the league for five years now, with a big focus on trending stories, the latest rumors and reports.
He's expanded his area of expertise to the NFL, one of his biggest passion since discovering the competition in 2007.

Orlando is a huge fan of the San Antonio Spurs, and his favorite player of all time is Tim Duncan. Of course, Greg Popovich is his favorite coach of all time and Victor Wembanyama is already his favorite player in the league. In the NFL, he supports the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints.

Besides being a writer, Orlando is also an entrepreneur while pursuing a music production career.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash