Kobe Bryant will be remembered as one of basketball's greatest ever icons. 

The LA Lakers legend passed away on Sunday after being involved in a helicopter crash near Calabasas, California. 

Eight other people on board, including his daughter Gianna, also died in the accident.

Bryant's passing leaves a massive hole in the lives of many people he touched, and the NBA will never be the same without him. 

After all, Black Mamba's career and what he achieved will rarely ever be matched. 

That's why basketball fans are petitioning to immortalise Bryant forever, by making him the new NBA logo. 

"With the untimely and unexpected passing of the great Kobe Bryant please sign this petition in an attempt to immortalise him forever as the new NBA Logo," creator Nick M wrote on Change.org.

He asked, and plenty have responded. The petition has gone viral, with 168,000 people signing in less than 24 hours. 

It's clear that fans from all over the world want to see Bryant as the new face of NBA and it would mean changing the logo for the first time since it debuted in 1969. 

But now seems like the perfect moment to honour Kobe. After all, he achieved so much on the basketball court.

The Lakers legend won five NBA Championships during a 20-year career spent entirely in Los Angeles. 

He was also named the league MVP in 2008 and made the All-Star team for 18 consecutive seasons.

Outside the NBA, Bryant also led the United States to two Olympic gold medals and his farewell letter to basketball, which came in the form of an animated short film, won an Oscar. 

Very few people have impacted their sport as much as Black Mamba, and very few will ever match his achievements. Immortalising him as the face of the NBA seems like a perfect tribute. 

You can sign the petition to make Bryant the new NBA logo HERE.