April 13--For Kobe Bryant's final game Wednesday as a Los Angeles Laker, he's (temporarily) unseating a towering figure in California's history: Pio Pico.
The Pico Metro stop, named for California's last governor under Mexican rule, will be renamed the Kobe Station, according to the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
The temporary signs will be installed about 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to Metro spokeswoman Kim Upton. And the new name will last for one day, coinciding with Bryant's final game with the Lakers and the end of his 20-year NBA career.
The stop, which serves Metro's Blue and Expo lines, is located at Pico Boulevard and Flower Street, about two blocks from the Staples Center. It is a popular transit point for those attending Lakers games.
Metro advised those attending Wednesday night's game to take public transportation to avoid heavier-than-usual traffic near the Staples Center.
On Wednesday, Metro tweeted a photo of the "Kobe" station with the message: "Thanks for the memories and the rings!"
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