Vanessa Bryant had an emotional 8-word response to UConn victory

Vanessa Bryant’s eight-word social media post, “Gigi would have loved being there with you,” struck a deep chord with basketball fans. It perfectly captured the strong emotional tie between the Bryant family and the University of Connecticut (UConn) women’s basketball team after UConn’s impressive national championship win.

Vanessa posted on Instagram after the Huskies won their 12th national title by beating the top-seeded South Carolina Gamecocks with a convincing 82-59 victory. The championship was a touching tribute to Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, Vanessa and Kobe Bryant’s daughter, who died tragically in a helicopter crash in 2020 along with her father and seven others. Gigi, a talented young basketball player, had a strong dream of one day playing for the UConn Huskies.

Athlon Sports reported UConn’s head coach, Geno Auriemma, remembered Gigi’s excitement when they first met: “You could see it in her eyes—she was so thrilled. Think about how amazing that is: her father was Kobe Bryant, and yet the thing that made her happiest was being around college women’s basketball players. That’s how much it meant to her. That’s what she wanted to be.” Gigi’s public dream of playing for UConn became the foundation of the emotional connection between her family and the team.

Gigi Bryant’s favorite team wins national title

Gigi’s love for the Huskies wasn’t just a casual interest. Trained by her father, Kobe Bryant—who started coaching her after retiring from the NBA in 2016—Gigi showed incredible skill and dedication on the court. Her talent suggested she could have been part of the very UConn team that won the national championship.

April 4 would have been Gigi’s 19th birthday, making the team’s victory feel like a celebration of her life and what she could have achieved. After her death, the UConn program honored Gigi in several ways. A No. 2 Huskies jersey and a bouquet of flowers were placed on the team’s bench as a visible reminder of their loss and a lasting tribute to her.

The bond between the Bryant family and UConn goes beyond Gigi’s dream. Paige Bueckers, a standout UConn guard and likely No. 1 pick in the next WNBA draft, has said she found inspiration in Kobe Bryant while recovering from an ACL injury. Bueckers shared that she studied Kobe’s “Mamba Mentality” and used his approach to overcoming challenges as motivation during her rehab.

Vanessa Bryant’s short but heartfelt message emphasized how much Gigi’s dream still means to the UConn women’s basketball program. The victory wasn’t just about the team’s success on the court; it was also a tribute to Gigi’s passion for the game and the potential she never got to fulfill. The team’s performance, earning their 12th national title, also made them the most successful college basketball program in history.