NEW YORK — Sports Illustrated on Tuesday announced it will publish a 100-page special to honor basketball legend Kobe Bryant.
The magazine shared the news on Twitter saying, "SI is honored to present a 100-page Kobe Bryant Special Tribute Issue." This isn't the first time the 18–time NBA All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist was featured on the Sports Illustrated cover.
The print issue is expected to be available on Friday, February 7. The link Sports Illustrated provided to purchase the magazine claims the issue is already out of stock.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend was killed in a helicopter crash on January 26 with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Alyssa Altobelli, Christina Mauser, Ara Zobayan, Sarah Chester and Payton Chester.
Bryant has been honored worldwide during the Super Bowl, before the Lakers' first game since his death, and a mural was erected to honor him on a basketball court in the Phillippines.
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of Kobe, first publicly recognized the deaths of her husband and their daughter by switching her Instagram profile picture to her two lost loved ones and posting a photo of the entire family with a heartbreaking statement.
On Monday, Vanessa asked to keep a few items left by fans at the Staples Center, according to the Los Angeles Times.