Kobe Bryant NBA Logo Petition Gets 3 Million Online Signatures in Five Days

One Kobe Bryant fan started an online petition to have the NBA change its official logo to Bryant's silhouette after the NBA superstar perished in a helicopter crash on Sunday. The goal was to get 100 signatures.

Four days after Bryant's death, the online petition has surpassed 3 million online signatures, which was passed late Thursday.

The new goal is now 4.5 million signatures.

Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash Sunday morning near Los Angeles, California, on his way to a youth basketball game. Bryant's daughter, 13-year-old Gianna, was among the nine people on board who died. There were no survivors.

The current NBA logo, which debuted in 1969 with the silhouette of Jerry West, was created by created by Alan Siegel. Though there had been calls for a change to the logo over the last few decades—some even calling for Michael Jordan's dunking silhouette to be the new logo—it wasn't until Bryant's sudden death that new calls for a logo arose.

Siegel, who admits he has witnessed a desire of a new NBA logo by fans, told Newsweek this week that he certainly has noticed the online progression since Bryant's sudden death.

"It's quite clear that [Bryant] was a very respected figure by players and around the world and this is a really serious thing that should be considered by the league," Siegel told Newsweek.

"I'm really proud of the logo, it's been something that's been recognized around the world, but if the current players want to recognize someone that's made a difference, like Kobe, and if the commissioner wanted to do so, I would support it," Siegel continued.

Siegel previously told The Undefeated in 2017 that it might be a "mistake" to change the NBA logo that has become so well-known all over the world. But for someone like Kobe Bryant, who carried the NBA torch around the world as an ambassador to both the United States and the NBA as a two-time Olympic gold medalist, things could certainly change.

"It's so recognizable that it'd be a mistake to change it," Siegel said. Then he told Newsweek that "things happen in the world that stimulate change, like this."

The NBA did not respond to requests for this story.

As for the creator of the online petition to have Bryant's silhouette as the new NBA logo, he said he was overwhelmed by the support.

"He was a role model and hero to countless amounts of people, including myself," Nikyar Moghtader told Newsweek. "The support has been overwhelming and I want to thank each and every single person who is helping to make this dream a reality."

The sports world has continued mourning Bryant's death even into Thursday night and into Friday.