NBA honors Kobe Bryant by renaming All-Star Game MVP Trophy as Kia NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP Award
Adam Silver recently announced that NBA All-Star Game MVP Trophy will honor Kobe Bryant by permanently naming it after the late NBA player. Bryant has won an 18-time All-Star also won a record-tying four All-Star Game MVP awards.
The award will now be known as Kia NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant MVP Award and will be awarded for the first time on Sunday, February 16. Bryant has always been a big part of the NBA and was also honored by fans and the league.
"Kobe Bryant is synonymous with NBA All-Star and embodies the spirit of this global celebration of our game," Silver said. "He always relished the opportunity to compete with the best of the best and perform at the highest level for millions of fans around the world."
Recently, Former President Barack Obama also expressed his condolences towards the family of Bryant as he spoke during the NBA All-Star Weekend Newsmaker Brunch. Bryant died along with his daughter Gianna and seven other people who were in a helicopter that crashed on January 26. He stated that "nothing is more heartbreaking" as a parent himself, as reported by CNN.
"That loss is something I know many are still grappling with. Particularly Kobe, because he was with his daughter and those families and those children and those of us who have had the joy and privilege of being parents and taking kids to ball games and then rooting for our children and seeing our dreams and hopes passed on to them. Nothing is more heartbreaking," he said.
"And so I want to offer the NBA family Michelle and my deepest condolences and obviously the families of the Sterns and the Bryants," he continued. Previously, Obama called Bryant a "legend on the court and just getting started in what would have been just as meaningful a second act."
He further added, "To lose Gianna is even more heartbreaking to us as parents. Michelle and I send love and prayers to Vanessa and the entire Bryant family on an unthinkable day."
