Kobe Bryant's Size-14 Footprints Unveiled At The Chinese Theatre

HOLLYWOOD, CA – Kobe Bryant's handprints – and size-14 footprints – were unveiled Wednesday as a permanent part of the TCL Chinese Theatre forecourt.

The late Lakers star's prints are among a select group that will be permanently displayed outside the Hollywood Boulevard landmark – others rotate in and out due to space constraints, KTLA reported.

Bryant over a decade ago became the first athlete to have his hands and feet imprinted in cement. The imprints have been kept in storage since Bryant laid his hands and feet in a block of wet cement in February 2011, a spokesman for the theater told City News Service.

That ceremony was held one day before Bryant scored a game- high 37 points and was selected as the MVP for the fourth and final time in the West's 148-143 victory in the NBA All-Star Game at the then-Staples Center.

"This is a tremendous honor," Bryant said at the time.

"I feel extremely honored to be able to do this. It's never something I actually thought about when I was watching movies. I never thought my hand and footprints would be sitting right here at Grauman's Chinese Theatre."

Bryant told CBS2 at the time that having his handprints and footprints displayed along with of the legends of the movie industry was "right at the top" of his many accomplishments, including helping the Lakers to five NBA championships.

Bryant was especially struck by the everlasting nature of having his handprints and footprints in the forecourt.

"You come back in 100 years, it's going to be there," Bryant told CBS2. "It's not going anywhere. It's here forever. You are part of Los Angeles forever."

City News Service contributed to this report.