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.
