NBA All-Star Game MVP Award Renamed For Kobe Bryant

The award will be named after Bryant, who was named MVP of the All-Star game four times

NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced Saturday that the All-Star MVP award will be renamed in honor of Kobe Bryant. 

During a press conference in Chicago one day ahead of Sunday's All-Star game, Silver said the award will officially be called the Kobe Bryant All-Star Game MVP Award. 

Bryant was an 18-time All-Star from 1998 to 2016. He won the game's MVP award a record-tying four times, in 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2011. 

Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people. 

He was a five-time NBA champion, a two-time Finals MVP and a one-time regular season MVP in 2008 over his 20 seasons with the Lakers. 

During Sunday's All-Star game, Giannis Antetokounmpo's team will wear No. 24 jerseys in honor of Bryant, while LeBron James' team will wear No. 2 jerseys as a tribute to Gianna, who wore No. 2 during her youth basketball games. 

“Kobe Bryant is synonymous with NBA All-Star and embodies the spirit of this global celebration of our game,” Silver told reporters Saturday. “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.”