
With All-Star Weekend now upon us, the NBA has decided to rename the All-Star Game MVP trophy after Kobe Bryant in the wake of his tragic death. Commissioner Adam Silver announced the trophy’s renaming prior to the beginning of All-Star Saturday Night. The trophy will officially be named the Kobe Bryant MVP Award.
Kobe Bryant MVP Award (via USA TODAY Sports)#NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/xZ8KgS70ya
— Matthew Moreno (@MMoreno1015) February 16, 2020
Known mostly for his five NBA championships and multiple Olympic medals, Kobe also has plenty of All-Star hardware to his name. Bryant made the All-Star game 18 times in his 20-year career and shares the record for most MVP awards with Bob Pettit, both of whom earned the honor on four occasions. Bryant won the award in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011.
The honor is a fitting one for perhaps the best All-Star game performer in NBA history. The NBA will continue to honor Kobe Bryant throughout All-Star Weekend after he and eight others were killed in a helicopter crash last month. Team Giannis will all wear Bryant’s No. 24 jersey while Team LeBron will don No.2 jerseys in honor of Kobe’s daughter Gianna in Sunday’s All-Star Game.