Los Angeles Lakers and NBA legend Kobe Bryant has been posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as the class of 2020 was enshrined after months of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key points:
- Vanessa Bryant said her late husband’s most cherished accomplishment was being “the very best girl dad”
- Kobe was a five-time NBA champion and 18-time All Star through a glittering career
- Other honorees of the 2020 class were fellow NBA and WNBA greats Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Tamika Catchings
The five-time NBA champion died last year aged 41 in a helicopter crash alongside his daughter and seven others, shocking the world of professional sport and sending his legions of fans into mourning.
Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, who started dating him when she was 17, offered an acceptance on his behalf as presenter Michael Jordan stood nearby.
“Dear Kobe, thank you for being the best husband and father you could possibly be,” she said.
“Thank you for never giving up on us. Thank you for all of your hard work.
“There will never be anyone like Kobe. He was special. He was humble. He was bigger than life.”
“Kobe’s personal stats speak for themselves — five-time NBA champion, five-time New York Times best-selling author, 18-time All Star, a league MVP and two-time finals MVP, two-time Olympic gold medal winner, first athlete to win an Oscar.
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Bryant joined the NBA straight out of high school and would go on to enjoy one of the most decorated careers in the history of the sport, claiming NBA Finals MVP honours twice and earning the adoration of fans for his larger-than-life persona.
“You did it. You’re in the Hall of Fame now. You’re a true champ — you’re not just an MVP, you’re an all-time great,” Vanessa Bryant said.
“I’m so proud of you. I love you forever and always Kobe Bean Bryant.”
Bryant, the fourth-highest scorer in league history with 33,643 points, grew up idolising the five-time league MVP Jordan and the two superstars’ careers overlapped by a handful of years.
“Kobe would thank all of the people who helped him get here, including the people that doubted him and the people who worked against him and told him he couldn’t attain his goals … after all, he proved you wrong,” Vanessa Bryant said, prompting a grin from Jordan.
Other honorees in the 2020 class included 10-time Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings, 15-time NBA All-Star Kevin Garnett and three-time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan.
The ceremony at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, was postponed from August due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
AP: Kathy Willens
)ABC/Wires
