NBA reveal Kobe Bryant All-Star Game jersey details
Saturday 1 February 2020 09:18, UK
The NBA have revealed details of the jerseys paying tribute to Kobe Bryant and the victims of last weekend’s helicopter crash that will be worn at the All-Star Game in Chicago.
Every player on Team LeBron, captained by LeBron James of the Lakers, will wear a jersey with the No 2 in honour of 13-year-old Gianna Bryant, who wore the number in youth league games.
Team Giannis, captained by Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, will have its players wear No 24, one of two numbers Bryant wore during his decorated NBA career.
Both teams will wear a jersey patch that will have nine stars to represent all nine victims of last weekend's crash in California.
During the Rising Star game, which takes place on February 14, two days before the All-Star Game, players will wear a patch with the Numbers 2 and 24, surrounded by nine stars.
That patch also will be worn by participants in the February 15 skills challenge, 3-point shooting contest and dunk contest.
The nine-star patches will represent Kobe and Gianna Bryant as well as John, Keri and Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser and Ara Zobayan, all of whom were headed to a youth basketball game before their helicopter crashed.
A previously announced Bryant tribute related to deciding the winner of the All-Star Game.
At the end of the third quarter, a 24 will be added to the score of the team that is in the lead. The first team to reach that number will be declared the winner.
Bryant, who passed away at the age of 41, was an 18-time All-Star during his 20 seasons in the NBA.
He scored 290 points in All-Star Games, including 31 during the 2001-02 season when he was named the game's MVP for the first time.
He earned four All-Star Game MVP Awards in his career.
