Fans petition for Lakers to hang Gianna Bryant's jersey in rafters

Los Angeles Lakers fans hope to see Kobe Bryant's daughter Gianna's jersey join his in the rafters of Staples Center.

A petition launched on Change.org is calling on the Lakers to hang the 13-year-old's No. 2 jersey alongside Kobe's No. 8 and No. 24. More than 125,000 people have signed it as of Thursday afternoon.

"With the untimely and unexpected passing of the great Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, please sign this petition in an attempt to immortalize her forever in the rafters alongside her father at Staples," the petition reads.

Kobe and Gianna were en route to a basketball game at Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California, on Sunday when the helicopter they were on crashed, killing all nine people on board.

Gianna, nicknamed "Mambacita" after her father, played for a team at the Mamba Sports Academy and aspired to join UConn one day, according to ESPN's Mechelle Voepel. The Huskies paid tribute to her Monday by placing a No. 2 jersey with flowers on their bench.