A new mural in Los Angeles linking Bam Adebayo and Kobe Bryant has sparked a huge reaction from NBA fans, with many already predicting it will not last long.
The artwork appeared shortly after Adebayo’s record-breaking scoring performance.
But placing the tribute in Los Angeles has quickly turned the mural into one of the most debated pieces of basketball artwork online.
Bam Adebayo Kobe Bryant mural in Los Angeles goes viral
A picture circulating online, including a post shared on X, shows a mural depicting Kobe Bryant seemingly passing the torch to Bam Adebayo.
The artwork references Adebayo’s recent historic performance in which he scored 83 points in a single game, surpassing Bryant’s famous 81-point night to move into second place on the NBA’s all-time single-game scoring list behind Wilt Chamberlain.
“No way Underdog put up a mural in LA of Kobe passing the torch to Bam Adebayo,” the tweet read.
The location quickly became the main talking point, given how strongly Bryant’s legacy is protected by Lakers supporters in the city.
NBA fans predict Bam Adebayo mural will be vandalized
Many fans reacted by suggesting the mural could quickly become a target for vandalism because of how fiercely Lakers fans defend Bryant’s legacy.
One fan compared it to the mural of LeBron James that was vandalized shortly after he first joined the Lakers: “Surely that gets vandalized as quick as the Bron mural when he initially arrived in LA.”
Another response was even more direct, with one fan joking about taking matters into their own hands: “Where is this? I will black it out myself.”
Others simply predicted the mural would not survive long once more people in Los Angeles saw it: “They are gonna deface that in record time.”
Some fans reacted with disbelief at the idea of placing such artwork in a city so closely tied to Bryant: “Crazy work”, “This is getting destroyed in record time.”
The reactions underline just how protective many Lakers fans remain about Bryant’s legacy, particularly when comparisons to other players appear in Los Angeles.
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