Feb. 3 (UPI) -- The NBA on Thursday unveiled its new All-Star Game MVP trophy dedicated to late Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, along with a slew of redesigned prizes for the annual exhibition game.
The league permanently renamed the All-Star Game MVP award after Bryant in February, 2020, less than a month after he, his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif.
The NBA worked with artist Victor Solomon to design the new trophy, which will be presented for the first time at the 2022 All-Star Game on Feb. 20 in Cleveland.
Solomon also redesigned a number of other trophies handed out during All-Star weekend to coincide with the 75th anniversary of the game.
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"As the NBA celebrates its 75th anniversary season, this collection of All-Star trophies represents the continued growth and evolution of our game," said Christopher Arena, head of On-Court and Brand Partnerships at the NBA.
"Through our collaboration with Victor Solomon, these trophies incorporate deep storytelling, reimagining our previous All-Star trophies in a modern aesthetic, and now serve as the new standards of excellence that future generations of All-Stars will strive to reach each year."
Solomon said he worked with the NBA over "the past few years" to reimagine the trophies.
"Redesigning the All-Star trophies gave us a special opportunity to create event awards worthy of the energy and excitement the moment creates, while introducing the full collection's visual, aesthetic language," he said.
The new Kobe Bryant Trophy includes a base and four levels, the heights of which correspond to the years of Bryant's four All-Star MVP wins -- the 2-inch base represents his 2002 MVP award, and so forth.
The top level is also 2 inches tall to represent his two Bill Russell Trophy wins as the NBA Finals MVP in 2009 and 2010.
Each level also includes a symbolic number of stars. Level 1 has 24 stars to represent the total number of players in the All-Star Game each year and Bryant's jersey number. Level 2 has 10 stars for the number of All-Star Game starters and Bryant's No. 10 jersey for Team USA at the Olympics.
Level 3 has five stars for Bryant's five NBA championships, and Level 4 has one star for his single Maurice Podoloff Trophy win as the 2007-08 Kia NBA MVP.
Solomon also designed four similar trophies for the AT&T Slam Dunk, MTN DEW 3-Point Contest and Taco Bell Skills Challenge champions, and for the Clorox Rising Stars MVP.
The 14-inch-tall, crystal, star-shaped columns include an embedded 24-karat gold basketball featuring the names of the respective competitions.
The NBA also unveiled its new All-Star Game rings awarded to each participant, the Clorox Rising Stars champions trophy and the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game MVP award.
