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On Wednesday, Kyrie Irving started a movement on Instagram: he wants the league to replace Jerry West on the NBA logo with the late Kobe Bryant.
Overnight, the post got a more than a million likes and a big endorsement...
Vanessa Bryant, the widow of the late Lakers star, shared Irving’s post on her Instagram Story, writing, “love this.”
Others from the sports world like LaMelo Ball, Stephen Jackson and Dez Bryant also shared comments in support of Irving’s original post, as Sports Illustrated reports. Moreover, news outlets from CNN to TMZ to FOX News all picked up on the story.
After the Nets win over the Magic Thursday night, Irving spoke about his efforts, noting how Bryant was not just an inspiration but a mentor.
“Number one, I think as a native black man and a native black king, it is part of my responsibility to continue to push our generation and our culture forward. We are drafting guys even younger now. Guys that are coming out of different places and he was the standard for our generation and he will continue on.
“I want that to be something in history that is changed forever and that our generation was part of that change. If that means I have to lead that forward, keep the conversation going - great - but I think he deserves it. His family deserves it and I think we deserve it seeing greatness personified as Mamba. Anyone that is coming into the league should know that was the example set.
“I am not saying that just because of Kobe. I don’t want to discredit any of our historical players that have done amazing things for the league. I am not discrediting anyone when I say that Kob should be the logo because we have examples of guys that have done so much on and off the floor that were leaps and bounds for us to be where we are now.
“It is just a refresher that this is the guy for us and the guy for me. He is my mentor and more than an inspiration. I took a lot of wisdom and knowledge from that guy and he is always around me and Gigi is always around me. In our game, we want to set a standard and precedent that this is excellence. Kobe Bryant - logo. Yes, it needs to happen. I don’t care what anyone says. Black kings built the league. Exactly what I meant and exactly where I stand.”
Irving is picking up on a petition posted online not long after Bryant along with others died in a helicopter crash a year ago. A change.org petition in support of the logo idea has gained 3.2 million signatures. It has also been an idea commonly raised by others in the public about how to best honor Bryant,
How does Jerry West feel about. He’s fine with it, On ESPN, the Warriors consultant said he’s “perfectly happy” to cede it to someone else. However, the NBA doesn’t acknowledge that West is the player on the logo, according to a Yahoo Sports report at the time.
- Kyrie Irving and Vanessa Bryant Support Changing NBA Logo to Kobe Bryant - Ben Pickman - Sports Illustrated
- Kyrie Irving and Vanessa Bryant support changing the NBA’s logo to Kobe Bryant - Arda Ocal - ESPN
- Kyrie Irving wants NBA to honor Kobe Bryant with new logo, which Vanessa Bryant approves - Scott Gleeson - USA Today
- Kyrie Irving Says Image of Kobe Bryant Should Be New Logo of the NBA — and Vanessa Bryant Responds - Jason Duaine Hahn - People
- KYRIE IRVING REIGNITES MOVEMENT FOR KOBE AS NBA LOGO - TMZ
- Kyrie Irving Renews Calls To Make Kobe Bryant The New NBA Logo: ‘Gotta Happen’ - Kimberly Richards - Huff Post
- Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving calls for the NBA to incorporate Kobe Bryant on its logo - Ben Church - CNN
- Vanessa Bryant backs Kyrie Irving on changing NBA logo - Ryan Gaydos - FOX News
- Kyrie Irving: NBA should change logo to Kobe Bryant - Dan Feldman - NBC Sports
- Kyrie Irving doubles down on Kobe Bryant as NBA logo: ‘Needs to happen. I don’t care what anyone says’ - Kristian Winfield - New York Daily News
- Kyrie Irving renews push to make Kobe Bryant the NBA logo - Ted Holmlund - New York Post
- Kyrie Irving wants NBA to honor Kobe Bryant with new logo and Vanessa Bryant is on board - Chris Cwik - Yahoo! Sports
- Kyrie Irving calls for Kobe Bryant to be new NBA logo - Garrett Stepien - SNY