There’s no question Kobe Bryant’s legacy will live on forever, especially throughout the NBA--but that fact was just made even more transparent.
On Thursday, February 3, the organization unveiled the 2022 trophy lineup for NBA All-Star Game, designed in partnership with artist Victor Solomon.
In 2020, following Bryant’s tragic death, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the NBA All-Star Game MVP trophy had been permanently named after the late Lakers legend. Now, the award has a new look.
The trophy now features an eight-sided base, which represents the eight decades that the NBA All-Star Games have taken place, as well as a nod to Bryant’s No. 8 jersey number, according to the NBA. The 18 stars around the trophy represent Bryant’s 18 All-Star selections, while the 24 stars located on the first level of the award represent each All-Star player featured in the game and Bryant’s No. 24 jersey number.
On the second level of the trophy, the 10 stars represent the All-Star Game starters, along with as Bryant’s USA Basketball No. 10 jersey. The five stars on the third level “represent the unity of an NBA team” and Bryant’s five NBA championships.
At the top, a single star “represents the star of stars” and Bryant winning the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for the 2007-08 Kia NBA MVP, according to the NBA.
© GettyImagesOf course, Kobe’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, posted about the new trophy to Instagram, thanking Victor Solomon for designing it and saying she loves everything it represents.
“Introducing the newly designed Kobe Bryant Trophy, awarded to the NBA All-Star MVP!!!!” she wrote in her caption. “I love everything this trophy represents, all of my husband’s hard work and dedication ~ Mamba Mentality. Thank you @NBA & @victorsolomon.”
While the most talked-about peice in this new collection is the Kobe Bryant Trophy, which will be awarded to the Kia All-Star MVP, other awards featured include the AT&T Slam Dunk Champion, the Clorox Rising Stars MVP, and the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game MVP,.
“Commemorating the league‘s most notable achievements at NBA All-Star, each trophy boasts an elevated design, fit with intricate elements symbolizing the milestone that each award represents,” the NBA said about the trophies in a press release.
These newly-designed awards come as part of the league’s 75th-anniversary season and will be presented for the first time during the NBA All-Star 2022 weekend, which takes place on February 18 and 20 in Cleveland, Ohio.
