Taylor Swift and the Bryant family go way back.
In 2015, during the pop star's 1989 Tour, Kobe Bryant surprised Swift at her show in Los Angeles to present her with a specialty championship banner for most sold-out shows at Staples Center.
Thursday, kicking off a six-night stint at Sofi Stadium, Swift returned the love to the late NBA star's youngest, Bianka, giving her what fans have dubbed the "22" hat — the bowler hat Swift wears while singing "22" from her album Red. This is a tradition that started at the beginning of the tour.
Vanessa Bryant shared a video of the heartfelt moment, showing Swift kneeling at the edge of the stage to place the hat on Bianka's little head. The pair shared a tight bear hug, Swift placing a kiss on the 6-year-old's cheek and whispering something in her ear before resuming her performance.
Vanessa Bryant wore a bejeweled denim jacket with "Swiftie" writen on the back and lyrics from one of the most popular songs on 1989 titled "Wildest Dreams."
Her eldest Natalia also made her a friendship bracelet stack to wear, which has become a staple of the Eras Tour, with tributes to Kobe and Gianna, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020. Natalia was in attendance with Vanessa and Bianka.
The Bryants have long been fans of Swift. Gianna was the biggest, which Vanessa noted when she posted a carousel to Instagram of the night and included an old video of Gianna and Natalia enthusiastically singing along to "You Belong With Me."