Vanessa Bryant, the chair of the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, is set to join residents of Nickerson Gardens on Monday for a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the opening of refurbished sports spaces at the public housing community in Watts. The decision to refurbish Nickerson Gardens was made by Vanessa Bryant and the Lakers, in part because it was the former site of the Boys and Girls Club where Kobe Bryant had hosted his “Mamba League” youth basketball program.
Nickerson Gardens, originally designed by renowned architect Paul Revere Williams, boasts 1,066 units and shared open spaces, including a central playground. The refurbished sports spaces will likely provide much-needed recreational opportunities for the residents of the community.
As part of her work with the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, Vanessa Bryant has been dedicated to creating opportunities for underserved young athletes in honor of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January 2020. The foundation’s work in refurbishing the sports spaces at Nickerson Gardens underscores its commitment to supporting youth sports programs in communities in need.
The ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Nickerson Gardens.
