NBA All Star Game Honors the Memory of Kobe Bryant

JOHN AHORRO Staff Writer

Two weeks ago, the NBA returned to Chicago, IL for their annual All-Star Game.  In the wake of Kobe Bryant’s death on Jan. 26, NBA commissioner Adam Silver announced sweeping changes to the weekend’s format to commemorate the legend. According to NBA.com, the AllStar game’s two teams, Team Giannis and Team Lebron, wore Bryant’s number 24 and his daughter Gigi’s number 2 respectively. 

NBA.com also reports that both teams chose charities to represent. The winning team’s charity received $200,000. The game would only end once either team achieved the target score—the leading team’s score plus 24, Bryant’s jersey number. Commissioner Silver lastly announced the renaming of the ASG MVP award to the Kobe Bryant MVP Award for the best player performance of the night. 

Team Lebron eventually beat out Team Giannis with a score of 157-155 as Lakers star and Chicago’s own, Anthony Davis, nailed the victory with a final free-throw. The NBA’s new changes made the weekend memorable; however, the All-Star Game should change the way teams can win, as a free-throw was the only anti-climactic moment of the game. 

With the 2020 All-Star Weekend from Chicago in the books, the NBA now looks to see which team can gain momentum entering the playoffs and eventually win the championship.