Kobe Bryant is no stranger to receiving murals. As one of the NBA’s most popular and respected figures, the late Los Angeles Lakers legend is the subject of many tributes all across the city he played in for 20 years. Now, though, one such tribute, including Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, is catching attention, and fans aren’t pleased.

“There’s no way @Underdog made this Kobe and Bam Adebayo mural in Venice Beach 😂,” A viral post read on X. The attached video showcases a brand-new art piece featuring Bryant passing a torch to Adebayo, in a literal interpretation of a symbolic phrase. And it makes sense given recent events.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you probably heard, or even saw, Adebayo score 83 points against the Washington Wizards, breaking Bryant’s 20-year-old record for the second-highest single-game scoring mark. That day saw reactions from all over the NBA world, but not everyone was positive.

Though his peers and many NBA figures saw the moment as a huge achievement for Adebayo, many fans weren’t pleased by the affair. Online sentiment was that Adebayo hadn’t been respectful in passing up Bryant, especially given his NBA-record 43 free-throw attempts and sub-50% shooting from the field.

Lakers fans, especially, were not pleased, as the pre-game announcement in Crypto.com Arena of the Heat center breaking Bryant’s records was met with a cacophony of boos.

The location of the mural is also one that makes it controversial. Venice Beach is the location of LA’s most recognizable outdoor courts, which notably feature a massive mural of Bryant with a Black Mamba snake. Now, a piece that could be seen by some as disrespectful, sitting so close to a tribute, hasn’t sat well with many.

Fans Take Aim At Venice Beach Mural Featuring Kobe Bryant and Bam Adebayo

Social media didn’t take long to weigh in as videos and images of the mural began circulating online, with many convinced that the piece wouldn’t remain untouched for very long.

“That mural has no chance of surviving 🤣.”

Murals being defaced is not a new occurrence, with those featuring controversial NBA moments or players often being key targets. Back in 2014, for example, LeBron James‘ face was wrecked on a mural in Florida after the King made his way back to Cleveland in free agency.

Others focused on the imagery itself, pointing out the humorous details they noticed. “Actually really accurate because Kobe really look like he ain’t tryina pass that shit 😂.”

Bryant’s reputation has long been tied to his relentless mentality and fiercely competitive nature. To these fans, the artwork humorously reflected that personality, with Bryant seemingly unwilling to pass the record to Adebayo.

Another commenter took things further, explaining multiple reasons why this mural could quickly become a target.

“Dont worry someone will mark that shid out ! Cause one it’s a heat player in Cali Thats a no no ! And disrespectful! And 2 Kobe not handing nobody the torch if he felt it wasnt taking from him like Kobe and mj ! 3, bam is a nobody! 4 the 83 pts was bogus! , 5 he tried with Lebum.”

Perhaps the most important point that this post pointed out was the fact that Bryant was pictured passing the torch to a player who has no connection to Los Angeles or the Lakers.

Some responses also directed their attention to the party responsible for the mural.

“@UnderdogNBA yall want 💨.”

The joking warning just goes to show how passionate conversations about Bryant’s legacy and lasting image can be among basketball fans online.

Regardless of whether reactions online were serious or humorous, the point highlighted was clear. When it comes to public tributes involving a legendary figure, fans rarely stay quiet long.