B.C. kid wants the NBA logo to change to Kobe Bryant — and millions agree

Justin Bieber, Usher among 2 million people to sign

A 16-year-old boy from British Columbia has started a petition to change the NBA logo to an image of Kobe Bryant — and millions of fans have already pledged their support.

Nick Moghtader, from Vancouver, launched the online petition as a way of honouring and “immortalizing” the NBA legend, according to his Change.org post.

Bryant died in a helicopter crash on Sunday along with his daughter Gianna Bryant and seven others.

As of Wednesday morning, the Change.org petition had already received more than 2.7 million signatures.

Many celebrities, including Justin Bieber, Usher and Snoop Dogg, have also acknowledged their support.

Nick, who said on Twitter he only expected 100 people to sign, was shocked by the response he received. 

“Never would I have thought for this petition to get so incredibly big,” Nick said in a statement posted to Change.org.

Nick said he created the petition as a way of coping with and mourning Bryant’s passing. 

“When I started this petition I was just some 16-year-old kid who had just lost his role model and hero,” he wrote. “The support from the NBA and Kobe Bryant fans has been overwhelmingly amazing.”

Is success likely?

Change.org said the petition is the first in 2020 to top one million signatures anywhere around the world.

Will it actually work?

It’s hard to say. The NBA hasn’t yet responded to an inquiry made by CBC Kids News asking for comment on the petition.

But Nick wants to keep the momentum going in the hopes that the league will agree.

“I ask all of you to please continue sharing this as much as possible,” he said. “We are on the verge of changing NBA history! For Kobe.”

Despite the overwhelming support, many people on Twitter have said they are against the idea.

Who’s on the current NBA logo?

The current NBA logo — introduced in 1960 — is said to feature the silhouette of Jerry West dribbling the ball with his left hand.

West, also a basketball legend, was known to be the one who discovered and mentored Bryant.

Like West, Bryant spent his career playing with the L.A. Lakers.

The 18-time NBA all-star won five championships and became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during his 20-year career.

Bryant warms up with daughter Gianna during the 2016 NBA All-Star Game at the Air Canada Centre. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Fans also want Kobe’s jersey number retired

Some fans also think Bryant’s jersey number (24) should be retired across the league, something that has never been done before.

The Dallas Mavericks already announced they will be doing this. 

“Kobe’s legacy transcends basketball, and our organization has decided that the number 24 will never again be worn by a Dallas Maverick,” the team’s owner, Mark Cuban, said in a statement on Sunday.

Toronto Raptors player Norman Powell told reporters earlier this week that he would be happy to switch his jersey number from 24.

The well-known Toronto Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia is among many who posted to social media in support of this idea.