North Texas Daily

It was on Jan. 26, 2020 when LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash, along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant and seven other people. Almost immediately, social media turned on its head with the unfortunate passing of the NBA star with frequent updates on the crash making huge waves through every corner of the Internet.

In less than 72 hours, there have been major tributes made to Bryant. Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men delivered a heartfelt performance by singing “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday” at the 62nd Grammy awards, which was held the day of his passing. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has also said that he is going to retire the number 24 in memory of Bryant.

NBA fans feel that changing the famous NBA silhouette with the silhouette of Bryant would be one last touch to honor him, a move that has already garnered over 2 million signatures at this time of writing. Celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Justin Bieber and Naomi Campbell have all voiced their support for the remodeling of the image that has existed for 50 years. The idea of changing the logo, which features Lakers guard and hall-of-famer Jerry West, has existed for years. It’s not a knock on West either, especially since he has even voiced his desire for the logo to be changed. Question is, after so long who was going to be the player to come after him?

I feel that if there was any time to replace West as the face of the sport, it would be now and it would be Bryant. There are other players worthy of succeeding West like Lakers forward Lebron James, and players from the past like Bucks and Lakers legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but there has never left like a more important time to replace it then now. Saying that Bryant is an accomplished basketball star is truly an understatement. He was a five-time NBA champion, an 18-time NBA All-Star and was voted the MVP in the NBA in 2008, among many other accolades in his 20-year career.

Bryant is a man who transcends the sport he played for, which only a few NBA legends manage to accomplish. He decided that work on the court wasn’t enough and that he wanted to give back to the community, as well. A remarkable philanthropist, he set up the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation which helped homeless youth in Los Angeles. Bryant also served as an advocate for the Make-A-Wish foundation where he personally met with over 100 children throughout his life.

Bryant strived to make an impact on younger generations and his dream didn’t go unnoticed. After his death, a crowd of Bryant’s fans gathered outside of LA Live Plaza to make a makeshift memorial as they placed a small trash can in the middle of the memorial, performing his famous jump shots while shouting “Kobe” as they threw small balls of paper into the trash can, according to CNN.

The sport of basketball isn’t what it was 50 years ago when West’s silhouette was first used and it’s wise to acknowledge that change. The sport has seen many heroes come and go, but Bryant is not every other hero. By changing the NBA logo, it will not only immortalize the legend Bryant is, but reflect the current state of the sport by using the image of an idol that is more up to date.

The NBA should acknowledge the wishes of its fans and prove that there can be good coming out of such a tragic situation by honoring a player who enriched the sport and the lives of millions of its fans.

Featured Image: Courtesy @tysonbeck