NBA
What is the design of the new Kobe Bryant Trophy for the NBA All-Star MVP?
The Kobe Bryant Trophy given to the Most Valuable Player at the NBA All-Star Game will have a new look for this season, with details honoring the NBA great.
The league has announced that this year’s Kobe Bryant Trophy, given to the Most Valuable Player at the NBA All-Star Game, will have a new look this year that pays tribute to the legend and his outstanding basketball career.
The award was named after the Los Angeles Lakers superstar in 2020, after his tragic death earlier that year in a helicopter crash.
The trophy, created by artist Victor Solomon, will be awarded in the 2022 All-Star game to be held on Feb. 20 in Cleveland. The design pays tribute to the 2008 NBA MVP, and all its details are a nod to his spectacular achievements.
Stars for a star
The trophy’s base has eight sides, a nod to Bryant’s No. 8 jersey, which he wore early in his career. The base height of two inches represents Bryant’s 2002 NBA All-Star MVP. The 18 stars encircling the trophy stands for his 18 All-Star selections.
The first level has a height of seven inches, in reference to his 2007 NBA All-Star MVP, and has 24 stars to symbolize his No. 24 jersey, which he donned later in his career.
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The second level has ten stars, symbolic of Bryant’s USA Basketball No. 10 jersey. Its nine-inch height signifies his 2009 NBA All-Star MVP.
The third level reaches a height of 11 inches, which references his 2011 NBA All-Star MVP. There are five stars, one for each of the Black Mamba’s five NBA championships.
The fourth level bears a single star, which stands for the NBA MVP award he received in 2008. Its height of two inches represents his being named twice as NBA Finals MVP.
Other All-Star hardware revealed
Aside from the Kobe Bryant Trophy, the NBA also unveiled new versions of the other trophies up for grabs at the All-Star weekend, as well as the redesigned rings which each player in the All-Star teams will receive.
All-Star weekend begins Feb. 18, and the All-Star Game will tip off on Sunday, Feb. 20. The starters for the game, captained by LeBron James and Kevin Durant, were announced last week.