Vanessa Bryant is giving her followers a first look at the new NBA All-Star MVP trophy, which was redesigned in honor of her late husband Kobe. The former Lakers player died tragically in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020, along with his daughter Gianna and several others.
“Introducing the newly designed Kobe Bryant Trophy, awarded to the NBA All-Star MVP,” Bryant wrote on Instagram on Thursday, sharing the deeper meaning behind some of its intricate details. “The eight-sided base represents Kobe’s No. 8 jersey number. The 18 stars around the trophy represent his 18 All-Star selections. The base height of 2 inches is a nod to his 2002 NBA All-Star MVP.”
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Each level of the updated trophy serves as a tribute honoring various achievements in Kobe’s career such as his multiple MVP honors and championships won with the Los Angeles team. It also includes a testament to his time on the NBA Olympic All-star team. “Level 1: The 24 stars represent Kobe’s No. 24 jersey number. The 7-inch height is a nod to his 2007 NBA All-Star MVP. Level 2: The 10 stars represent Kobe’s USA Basketball No. 10 jersey. The 9-inch height is a nod to his 2009 NBA All-Star,” she wrote.
“MVP. Level 3: The five stars represent Kobe’s five NBA championships. The 11-inch height is a nod to his 2011 NBA All-Star MVP. Level 4: A single star represents Kobe’s NBA MVP Award in the 2007-08 season. The 2-inch height of the final star represents his two Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP awards (2009, 2010).” Vanessa continued.
“I love everything this trophy represents, all of my husband’s hard work and dedication ~ Mamba Mentality 👑🐍💪🏽,” she closed the lengthy post thanking the NBA and the trophy’s designer Victor Solomon.
Solomon also penned a brief moving message introducing his work to his followers. “For the past few years we’ve been quietly re-considering what a trophy is, what it can be, and how a symbol to represent the pinnacle of meritocratic competition, the totem after which a careers ambitions aspire, can celebrate a moment, tell a story, break aesthetic boundaries and exist within a cohesive ecosystem,” He said.”Couldn’t be prouder to unveil phase 1: completely reimagined All Star Weekend honors, including an important new silhouette to honor the life and career of Kobe Bryant for the All Star Game MVP.”
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