After Kobe Bryant’s tragic passing late last month, you knew the NBA was going to find a bunch of ways to pay tribute to the hoops legend one way or another.
They’ve found multiple ways already. Some players have decided to personally retire their numbers. The NBA All-Star game’s actual rules and Elam ending to 24 points are also a tribute to the Laker great. The players will even wear his and his daughter, Gianna Bryant’s, numbers during the the game.
But the biggest gesture of all might be the league announcing that the All-Star game’s MVP trophy is being renamed the Kobe Bryant MVP award.
The player who wins MVP after Sunday night’s game will be named the league’s first ever Kobe Bryant All-Star game MVP.
The All-Star Game MVP will receive the Kobe Bryant MVP award 🙏 pic.twitter.com/iqrvFIdMhZ
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 16, 2020
This makes too much sense. Bryant’s four All-Star MVP awards are the most ever in NBA history. When he retired, he was the game’s leading scorer but has since been passed by LeBron James.
This is a slam dunk. This was just always the right move. Good on the NBA for realizing it and acting fast on it.
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