Huntington artist's Brooklyn mural a tribute to Kobe and other crash victims 

Huntington muralist and longtime Kobe Bryant fan Efren Andaluz recalled being devastated when he found out the Los Angeles Lakers’ retired shooting guard had died in a helicopter crash.

“I broke down crying, I couldn't believe it. I was in shock. And then later to find out about his daughter,” said Andaluz, 33, who has a daughter too. Andaluz added: “After I got through the pain and the stress and thinking about it, I told myself, 'hey, I’m going to find a wall and I’m going to paint a tribute for him, her, and everyone that passed away in that helicopter crash.' ”

Searching Google Earth, Andaluz found a wall — in Brooklyn, across from Barclays Center, where the Nets play. He connected with the landlord, who gave him the OK. On Friday, Andaluz started the mural, which is based on a 1998 image taken by photographer Jon SooHoo of NBAE. The mural shows a jerseyed Bryant laying on a basketball court, his head resting on a Spalding ball; Andaluz added Bryant’s daughter, Gianna — and it was two or three hours Wednesday from being finished.  

“I wanna fix her teeth up. I wanna fix her face up a little bit more. I gotta finish his hands, put more detail, and then the wood floor,” Andaluz said, standing on Pacific Street and Atlantic Avenue next to the approximately 20-by-12-foot mural.

The mural lists the names Bryant, Gianna, and the seven others killed in the Jan. 26 crash in Calabasas, California, about 24 miles from downtown Los Angeles.

The spray cans used by Andaluz, whose warehouse is in East Northport, were donated by Riebe's Artist Materials in Melville, and the wall paint came from a Sherwin Williams store in East Northport, he said.

Andaluz has done public art before of pop culture figures, particularly on Long Island. After the deaths of comedians Robin Williams and Joan Rivers in 2014, he painted the two on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station, across from the post office. In 2016, Andaluz did a Pokémon-themed mural — 151 of the critters — on the side of his studio in Huntington. And late last year, he finished painting Baby Yoda on the back wall of the Burgerology eatery in Huntington.

Throughout Wednesday afternoon, passersby walking on Atlantic Avenue paused to look at the mural.

“To see a tribute like this is very special,” said publicist Rohn Padmore, 48, of East New York, Brooklyn, who said he plans to share the picture on Instagram and Facebook. “I wanted to document it and take a picture and post it on social media.”

Andaluz, a 2004 graduate of Walt Whitman High School, recalls ribbings he got for being a Laker fan in New York.

But he wouldn't stop wearing his purple and gold hats and sneakers.

“The Knicks always weren’t good,” he said, "and the Lakers were always phenomenal.” 

By Matthew Chayes

matthew.chayes@newsday.comchayesmatthew

Matthew Chayes, a Newsday reporter since 2007, covers New York City.