A Vancouver teenager and basketball fan has launched a petition to put the late Lakers star Kobe Bryant on the NBA logo.
The Change.org petition was launched Sunday by Nick M., who has been identified as 16-year-old Nikyar Moghtader of Vancouver by our sibling publication Castanet.
"With the untimely and unexpected passing of the great Kobe Bryant please sign this petition in an attempt to immortalize him forever as the new NBA Logo," reads the teen's request.
Bryant, 41, died Sunday morning along with eight others, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif.
Moghtader admits he didn't think his humble petition would garner much attention. "The support on this petition has been out of this WORLD. I want to deeply thank everybody who contributed through signing and donating to the petition. When I started this I didn’t expect much to come out of it my goal was 100 signatures at best," he wrote in an update on Sunday.
At that time, just over 16,000 people had signed on in support.
Now there are over 626,000 signatures on the petition.
"I hope with our effort that our dream does come true and we are able to see Kobe Bryant engraved into the NBA Logo," wrote Moghtader.
In an update Monday afternoon, the Vancouver basketball fan once again spoke out in appreciation, adding: "I wish Kobe was still here and I never had to make this petition to begin with. But sadly that isn’t the case, my condolences go out to the Bryant family and everyone who was involved in this accident.”
Currently the NBA logo features the silhouette of another Los Angeles Lakers great, Jerry West.
The NBA has not referenced the logo in the wake of Bryant's death. On Sunday, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement regarding Bryant's passing:
“The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning. He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary: five NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and two Olympic gold medals. But he will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability. He was generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Vanessa, and their family, the Lakers organization and the entire sports world.”
Additionally, the Lakers and the Clippers have cancelled Tuesday night's game at Staples Center in L.A. — the longtime home of the Lakers, and, as Alicia Keys said at the Grammy Awards held there Sunday night, it's "the house that Kobe built."
For his part, Moghtader signs his messages on his Change.org petition using a common sign-off and nickname Bryant used: "Mamba out."
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