Odds Released On Kobe Bryant’s Silhouette Becoming New NBA Logo for 2020-21 Season
- Sportsbooks give +300 odds NBA releases new logo with Kobe silhouette
- Current logo featuring Jerry West first created in 1969
- Change.org petition circulated worldwide calling for new Kobe logo garners 3.1 million signatures
Thousands of people packed the Staples Center on Monday to celebrate the life of five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, who last month died tragically in a helicopter crash along with daughter Gianna and seven other members on board.
Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan were among those that delivered moving speeches at the memorial, which also included performances from Beyonce, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera.
With the unexpected death of Kobe, Mamba’s legacy could also live on with a new NBA logo.
Odds NBA Changes Logo To Kobe Silhouette
| Projection | Odds |
|---|---|
| Yes | +300 |
| No | -600 |
Odds taken on Feb. 24
A petition has circulated worldwide on change.org, calling for the NBA to have Kobe’s silhouette in a new version of the league’s logo.
Sportsbooks have released odds on whether Kobe’s silhouette will replace the Jerry West version, which was created in 1969 by designer Alan Siegel and has been the mark for the NBA ever since.
The petition has already garnered 3.1 million signatures, with a target of 4.5 million. Following Monday’s emotional memorial, reaching that mark shouldn’t be a problem. The question is, will the NBA move ahead with an all-new Kobe logo in the future?
NBA: Petition to make Kobe Bryant the new NBA Logo – Sign the Petition! https://t.co/16afAqJa6q via @Change
— Bishop Talbert Swan (@TalbertSwan) February 16, 2020
Sportsbooks Give +300 Odds NBA Re-Brands with Kobe Logo
The Jerry West silhouette logo is iconic. It’s stood the test of time and is memorable for many reasons. Although some may believe it’s dated and in need of a refresh, the classic mark has generated over $3 billion per year in licensing.
This is a case of what’s not wrong with the current logo, but everything right with creating a version with Kobe’s silhouette. As noticed in Monday’s memorial, Bryant touched the lives of so many — including the player Mamba looked up to.
RT Kingsmentor "RT CarwynThomas94: Kobe Bryant changed the game.
Maybe it’s time to change the NBA logo.
RIP Black Mamba ? pic.twitter.com/M2vVBbXIyS"
— LitHub Devs Technology (@NnamdiMykel) February 23, 2020
“When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died,” Jordan told the crowd at the Staples Center. “As I look around this arena and around the globe, a piece of you died. Those are the memories we have to live with and learn from.”
The perfect way to remember Kobe and immortalize No. 24 and 8 forever is to create a new logo.
West Photograph Inspired Original NBA Logo 50 Years Ago
While the creator of the current logo has said the inspiration originally came from a Jerry West photograph, the NBA has always been reluctant to acknowledge it was actually West’s silhouette.
“There’s no record of it here,” NBA spokesman Tim Frank once said.
Warriors handed out shirts to honor Kobe against the @Lakers and made Kobe the NBA logo ✊ pic.twitter.com/XBFBfi9UK9
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 9, 2020
Sportsbooks odds also show that the league not changing its current logo to a Kobe version come in as the overwhelming -600 favorite.
Will the NBA honor Mamba much like the entire basketball world has done so since the tragic news of his passing?
It may be too soon to make that call and something the league will have to review over time. It may very well happen eventually — and it should. However, don’t expect it to happen so soon.
Pick: No (-600)
Angelo Montilla is a writer, visual design instructor and graphic designer based on the East Coast. As a journalism graduate, his experience in the media industry spans more than 15 years and includes work with Nation Network, SportsBreak, Featurd, Hockey Writers and the Windsor Star.
