Taylor Swift

Vanessa Bryant shows off jacket featuring husband Kobe in on-stage moment with Taylor Swift

NBA superstar Kobe Bryant recognized Taylor Swift's game in an interview a year before the tragic helicopter crash northwest of Los Angeles.

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Vanessa Bryant made the whole place shimmer with a bejeweled and bedazzled denim jacket that featured Taylor Swift and husband Kobe sharing a memorable moment on stage.

Bryant posted images of the jacket, decorated with 'Swiftie,' in a series of Instagram stories on Thursday, the first night of Swift's six Eras Tour shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The jacket includes an image of Swift and the Lakers great on stage at then-Staples Center on during and Aug. 21, 2015 concert surrounded in a decorative frame.

Taylor Swift The 1989 World Tour Live In Los Angeles - Night 1
Christopher Polk/Getty Images for TAS
Taylor Swift and Kobe Bryant speak onstage during The 1989 World Tour Live In Los Angeles at Staples Center on August 21, 2015 in Los Angeles.

The jacket also has a 'Say You'll Remember Me' patch.

Vanessa Bryant attended the opening night show at SoFi Stadium with 19-year-old daughter Natalia and 6-year-old daughter Bianka. They're long-time fans of the pop superstar, and Kobe Bryant expressed his admiration for Swift in a game-recognizing-game interview with Newsweek in 2019.

“Taylor’s been at the top of the game for a very, very long time,” Bryant said. “I don’t care if you like her music or you don’t like her music. Look at what she’s doing. It’s unbelievable to be able to pull that off over and over and over and over.

"If she needs anything from me, I’m always there. But you can’t have that level of consistent success and not be a killer. It’s impossible."

The interview was a year before nine people, including Kobe Bryant and 13-year-old daughter Gigi, were killed in a tragic helicopter crash in the hills northwest of Los Angeles in January 2020.

The Swift-inspired tributes didn't end with the stylish denim jacket. Bryant also showed off 'Kob,' 'Gigi' and 'Mommy' friendship bracelets. The bracelets are exchanged by fans at Eras Tour concerts.

Vanessa Bryant posted a photo of the three smiling at SoFi and another of Bianka exchanging a warm embrace with Swift on the concert stage.

The Los Angeles concerts are scheduled for Thursday, Friday and Saturday before the Sunday break. Performances resume Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Additional tour dates announced Thursday include stops in Miami, New Orleans, Indianapolis and Toronto.

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