Following Bryant’s tragic death in 2020, the award was renamed as the NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award. In 2022, the award was redesigned to pay homage to Bryant’s many achievements during his 20-year NBA career, many of which happened on the NBA All-Star stage.
MORE: NBA unveils Kobe Bryant trophy for All-Star Game MVP
As it turns out, the All-Star Game MVP is the perfect award to be named in Bryant’s honor and the redesigned trophy is a reflection of that.
Here’s why.
MORE: Watch the NBA All-Star Game live with Sling TV (3-day free trial; U.S. only)
Kobe Bryant award, explained: Why the NBA All-Star MVP is named after the Lakers legend
On Feb. 15, 2020, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that the NBA All-Star Game MVP Award would be permanently named in Bryant’s honor, beginning in the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, which took place on Feb. 16, 2020, three weeks to the date of Bryant’s death.
“Kobe Bryant is synonymous with NBA All-Star and embodies the spirit of this global celebration of our game,” Silver said in an official statement. “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.”
Fittingly, Bryant’s name is etched throughout NBA All-Star record books.
MORE: Rosters for 2022 NBA All-Star Game
Over the course of his 20-year NBA career, Bryant was named to 18 All-Star Games, with his first selection coming in 1998, his second NBA season.
At 19 years old, Bryant became the youngest player to appear in an NBA All-Star Game, a record that stands to this day.
MORE: LaMelo Ball joins elite company as one of five youngest All-Stars ever
Bryant was named NBA All-Star Game MVP in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011, tying him with Bob Pettit for most NBA All-Star Game MVP Awards with four.
With records as the youngest-ever All-Star and the most decorated All-Star, Bryant’s name is synonymous with excellence at the All-Star Game.
Kobe Bryant award redesign
The 2022 NBA All-Star Game marks the first year in which “The Kobe Bryant Trophy” will be awarded to the All-Star Game MVP.
A redesign from the award in years past, the trophy has “intricate details holding dual meanings, both for NBA All-Star and Bryant’s legendary career.”
Among those details are: An eight-sided base that represents the eight decades of All-Star Games and Bryant’s No. 8 jersey, 24 stars on the first level that represents each All-Star in the game and Bryant’s No. 24 jersey, and 10 stars on the second level to represent the 10 All-Star starters and Bryant’s USA Basketball No. 10 jersey.
Read more on The Kobe Bryant Trophy here.
