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NBA reveals newly designed trophy named after Kobe Bryant

The trophy will be awarded to the All-Star Game MVP.
kobe bryant trophy
kobe bryant trophy
Posted at 11:58 AM, Feb 04, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-04 12:16:42-05

The NBA unveiled a newly designed trophy for the MVP of the NBA All-Star Game.

The new trophy is permanently named after Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 in California.

Artist Victor Salomon revamped it to showcase and pay tribute to Bryant’s career.

Bryant was an 18-time All-Star who won a record-tying four Kia All-Star Game MVP awards.

The NBA detailed how each level of the trophy represents different parts of Bryant’s career.

The eight-sided base of the trophy is a nod to Bryant’s No. 8 jersey number.

The 18 stars around the trophy represent his 18 All-Star selections.

The height of the base also holds special meaning.

It is two inches tall, representing 2002, one of the years when Bryant was named All-Star MVP.

Levels 2 to 4 also contain stars representing Bryant’s jersey numbers, and inch height representing the years he was named All-Star MVP.

On level 4, there is a single star representing Bryant winning The Maurice Podoloff Trophy.

The two-inch height on the top level represents Bryant’s two Bill Russell Trophies.

The new trophy will be awarded to the Kia NBA All-Star Game MVP on February 20 in Cleveland.

Salomon also redesigned four other trophies that will be awarded that weekend.