An artist in Austin, Texas recently created a mural to honor the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

However, someone already defaced the mural just hours after it was unveiled, per Paul Livengood of 10 News WTSP. The culprit deface the mural with the word “rapist.”

A local (@0Rashad) posted a photo of the scene on Twitter when he went to pay tribute to Bryant.

https://twitter.com/0Rashad/status/1223224191291400192

As beloved as Bryant was, he also had his fair share of naysayers. Then again, is this really necessary? At a time like this?

Obviously, whoever did this was referencing Bryant's sexual assault case in 2003. A 19-year old woman in Colorado accused the then Lakers guard of the crime. Ultimately, the case was dropped after the woman decided not to testify. The case was then settled for an undisclosed sum in 2005.

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The former Lakers superstar passed away on Sunday in a tragic helicopter crash that took the lives of eight other people, including his daughter Gianna. The news of his untimely passing certainly rocked the entire world, as he became one of the most storied basketball players after carving out a masterful 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Tributes for the five-time NBA champion and his 13-year old daughter came pouring in from all over the globe, including this on-court beauty paying homage to the Lakers great from the Philippines:

The Lakers played its first game since the tragedy on Friday night and paid a special tribute to the legendary Laker. Prior to the game, LeBron James gave an emotional speech about Kobe and finished by saying that Bryant will never be forgotten.