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Typos on Kobe Bryant statue corrected
Beneath the 19-foot likeness of Bryant pointing triumphantly to heaven — a re-creation of a gesture he made in an 81-point performance against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 — is a reproduction of the game’s box score. In it, two other players’ names were misspelled along with the word “decision.” On Tuesday, the Lakers fixed those errors before the team’s final regular-season game at home. L.A. wound up suffering a 134-120 loss to the Golden State Warriors. The names of Raptors guard Jose Calderon and Lakers guard Von Wafer are now spelled correctly — as is “decision” — on the base of the statue.
Kobe Bryant's statue restoration completed to correct several errors
Restoration on the Kobe Bryant statue outside of Crypto.com Arena was completed on Tuesday morning just in time for the Los Angeles Lakers' final regular season home game against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. The 19-foot bronze statue, which was unveiled in February, needed several errors on the marble base corrected. The names of Jose Calderon and Von Wafer were initially misspelled on the replica box score from Bryant's 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors.
Kobe Bryant statue misspelled Jose Calderon and Von Wafer in 81-point game boxscore
Kobe Bryant's statue was unveiled in February 2023 in Los Angeles near the Crypto.com Arena, formerly known as Staples Center. However, the statue itself contains multiple errors. Besides Bryant's figure, the statue also includes five championship titles placed around the figure. The figure is placed on a triangle base, paying homage to head coach Phil Jackson's famous triangle offense.
Additionally, it has a QR code to watch Kobe's highlights, an inscription of all Bryant's accolades. The boxscore of his famous 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 is engraved as well. That's where the errors come. Namely, names of two players are misspelled: Jose Calderon is spelled as Jose Calderson, while Von Wafer's name is engraved as Vom Wafer. Also, the term DNP - Coach's Decision is misspelled in one line as DNP - Coach's Decicion.
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Chris Reichert: Von Wafer (Westchester Knicks) has signed in China with the Jilin Tigers, per @David 'Dubi' Pick #GLeagueAlum
Exactly four months following that Twitter rant, it looks like Wafer will get that one last opportunity for the NBA. That opportunity will come in the D-League with the Delaware 87ers, as the team announced on Friday afternoon that they claimed the NBA veteran off the waiver wire. The addition of Wafer is a necessary move for the 87ers as the team only had three players in their backcourt rotation: Cat Barber, Dionte Christmas and Brandon Triche.
Von Wafer: I pray for another opportunity man. It may never come. Take that as a lesson make the most of everything u are given. Nothing is promised. Please kids don't be like me. Wasted so much God givin talented over the years but that's cool we moving forward and doing it Rt now. Do not stress about what you can't control. That energy you are wasting on that could have gone towards an even bigger blessing. I'm not ashamed to get on social media and beg for an opportunity back in the nba. I don't care about nothing just give me an opportunity
Wafer was forced into this very public statement after Shanxi’s 106-98 road loss to Qingdao in the CBA playoff quarter-finals. The result ensured that the Dragons were eliminated from the postseason without winning a game. However, it was Wafer’s actions during the third and final game of the series that have captured the headlines. With Shanxi staring at elimination, the guard was ejected for hard fouling Qingdao point guard Luo Xudong. Then, as he was sent from the court, Wafer picked up a chair and threw it against a wall before exiting through the player’s tunnel.
In the aftermath of the series, several players were fined for their actions but Wafer has taken the brunt of the punishment following his foul on Luo and then the throwing of the chair afterwards. Not only was he fined 50,000 RMB (roughly $8,000), he has also been given a six-game ban from all CBA games. It is the ban that presents the biggest problem for the American. Given that the CBA regular season is so short, the absence of a star overseas player like Wafer for that many games is a huge disadvantage.
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There's only China in the future of Von Wafer. The former Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics moved away from Puerto Rico and signed a contract with Shanxi Zhongyu. Wafer changed many teams this year and with the last one, Indios de Mayaguez in Puerto Rico, averaged 24.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
According to a source, NBA veteran Von Wafer has entered the NBA D-League player pool.
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