There have been tons of touching tributes to Kobe Bryant after he and eight others died in a tragic helicopter crash last Sunday. But one tribute from the NBA is causing more confusion among fans than anything.
The league announced bizarre new rules for this year’s NBA All-Star Game, which will be held on February 16 in Chicago.
The new format is very confusing, but the AP did its best to explain what the heck is going on here:
The NBA announced major changes to the All-Star format on Thursday, turning every quarter into a mini-game for charity before an untimed final quarter with a target score that will decide which team wins. Scores will be reset — back to 0-0 — at the start of the second and third quarters, then restored to begin the fourth quarter.
That’s where the tribute to Bryant and the No. 24 jersey he wore for the last decade of his NBA career comes into play. The team that wins the All-Star Game will be the first to reach a target score, determined by the total points the team in the lead scored in the first three quarters combined — plus 24, the obvious nod to Bryant.
Fans are befuddled by the bizarre tribute.
“You could’ve just made them wear his numbers but okay,” one said.
“I think I gained a tumor reading all this,” another joked.
“Okay I’m all for honoring Kobe as much as possible but this is pretty complex. This is going to have a lot of mixed reactions,” someone else replied.
“What would be nice is a halftime video tribute,1 team wear 8, the other wears 24. Rename the MVP all star trophy to Kobe Bryant Memorial All Star MVP award. Donate a portion of proceeds from jersey sales of the all star game to his favorite charity. This new format sounds dumb,” another wrote.
The most touching tribute of the week came from Kobe’s wife Vanessa, who posted a statement to Instagram on Wednesday.
“My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time,” Vanessa began her post. “Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe — the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna — a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.”
She continued, “We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately. There aren’t enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon.”
“I’m not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it’s impossible to imagine life without them,” Vanessa wrote. “But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless — and that’s to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever.”
She concluded: “Thank you for sharing your joy, your grief and your support with us. We ask that you grant us the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality.”
