The late Gianna Bryant, Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester were named honorary draft picks by the WNBA on Friday. The three teenage teammates died in a helicopter crash in January, along with Bryant's dad, basketball legend Kobe Bryant. The WNBA draft event — which was held virtually this year due to the coronavirus pandemic — began with a tribute to Kobe, who was killed on January 26 along with Gianna, Alyssa, Payton, Sarah Chester, John Altobelli, Keri Altobelli, Christina Mauser and pilot Ara Zobayan. They were heading to the girls' basketball game at Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy at the time of the crash.
"Kobe was not only a legendary basketball star but a devoted youth coach and had a tremendous impact on countless young players," commissioner Cathy Engelbert said from her home, noting Mr. Bryant's "unparalleled" passion for women's basketball.
"These athletes represented the future of the WNBA," Engelbert said of the three girls. "They represented the next generation of stars in our league, maybe what would have been called the 'Mambacita' generation."
Payton's father, Chris Chester, Alyssa's siblings, J.J. and Lexi Altobelli, and Gianna's mother, Vanessa Bryant, were all featured in the draft announcement video to thank the WNBA for the tribute. Thank you so much for honoring my Gigi and selecting her to be an honorary draft pick this year," Vanessa said. "It would've been a dream come true for her. She worked tirelessly every single day. She wanted to be one of the greatest athletes of all time, just like her daddy. So thank you, thank you for honoring my little girl."
"Work hard. Never settle. Use that Mamba Mentality," she said as words of advice to this year's draft picks.
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