SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – Following the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, hundreds of thousands have signed a petitioncirculating online calling on the NBA to change its logo to honor his legacy.
Bryant died Sunday along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in Calabasas.
The group was flying to a basketball tournament for Bryant’s Mamba Academy in Thousand Oaks.
“With the untimely and unexpected passing of the great Kobe Bryant please sign this petition in an attempt to immortalize him forever as the new NBA Logo,” creator Nick M wrote on the Change.org petition.
He added that he hoped ” … our dream does come true and we are able to see Kobe Bryant engraved into the NBA Logo.”
The petition had garnered more than 1.5 million signatures and counting by Tuesday.
CNN reports the current NBA logo – which features the silhouette of Los Angeles Lakers’ Jerry West – has been used since 1971.
Following Bryant’s death, the NBA released a statement saying it was “devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter.”
“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary … But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said.
Bryant spent two decades with the Los Angeles Lakers, earning 5 NBA titles, two Olympic gold medals, and being named MVP of the NBA Finals twice during his career.
He retired from the NBA in 2016.
Click here for our full coverage on the death of Kobe Bryant.
