Monday 24 August 2020 23:25, UK
A street outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles is expected to be renamed Kobe Bryant Boulevard.
Councilmen Herb Wesson Jr. and Curren D. Price jointly announced their proposal to rename an approximately three-mile stretch of South Figueroa Street between Olympic Boulevard and West Martin Luther King Boulevard in honour of Bryant.
The retired Los Angeles Lakers star died on January 26 when the helicopter he was riding in crashed in Calabasas, California. Bryant's daughter, Gianna, and seven other people also died in the crash.
The council members made the announcement on Kobe Bryant Day - August 24 - which represents the two uniform numbers worn by the late star, No. 8 (1996-2006) and No. 24 (2006-16). The day is being marked in the city and in neighbouring Orange County, where Bryant lived with his family.
City News Service reported the council members plan to introduce a resolution on Tuesday, asking the council to approve the name change.
Kobe Bryant Boulevard, once approved, will run past some prominent Los Angeles sites, including the Convention Center, the Shrine Auditorium and University of Southern California before terminating near the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and the Banc of California Stadium.
The street "will be a reminder to everyone, young and old who drive down it, there is no obstacle too big," wrote Wesson, in part, on Twitter.
Another small street near Staples Center, Chick Hearn Court, honours the Lakers late legendary play-by-play man and would intersect with Kobe Bryant Boulevard.
The Lakers will wear special "Black Mamba" uniforms Monday night for Game 4 of their Western Conference first-round series against the Portland Trail Blazers.
