Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett are officially set to be a part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Four years after he retired from basketball and three months after his tragic death, Bryant has been named in the enshrinement class of 2020.
While the enshrinement ceremony will take place in August in Springfield, Massachusetts, many have already shared their delight on the late Lakers legends inclusion.
Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss said: “No amount of words can fully describe what Kobe Bryant meant to the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe was not only a proven winner and a champion, he gave everything he had to the game of basketball.”
Bryant spent his entire senior career with the Lakers. During his 20 years with the team, the Lakers won five Championships and Bryant was an All-Star 18 times.
“His fierce competitiveness, work ethic and drive were unmatched. Those qualities helped Kobe lead us to five titles – and have now brought him to the Hall of Fame, where he will be enshrined with the greatest to have ever played the game. No one deserves it more,” Buss said.
Another player to have spent his entire NBA career with the Lakers was Magic Johnson. Johnson’s last official season with the Lakers was when Bryant entered the NBA. “It breaks my heart that he won’t be there to receive the award himself and give a great speech,” Johnson said on Bryant’s inclusion in the Hall of Fame class.
Magic Johnson on Kobe Bryant being inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame: “It breaks my heart that he won’t be there to receive the award himself and give a great speech.” pic.twitter.com/bmfpJBjjJH
— Arash Markazi (@ArashMarkazi) April 4, 2020
Kobe Bryant’s also felt he deserved his place in the Hall of Fame
Bryant’s agent during his playing days and current Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka said that the Hall of Fame inclusion was something Bryant would have deeply appreciated
“Kobe was always one to downplay his professional accomplishments – MVPs, NBA championships, gold medals, Oscars, and on and on and on. But all of us can trust that this Basketball Hall of Fame honor is one Kobe would, and will, deeply appreciate.,” Pelinka said.
“The highest of congratulations to you, dear friend. This one is so well deserved — for all the hard work, sweat and toil. Now, a part of you will live in the Hall with the rest of the all-time greats, where your legend and spirit will continue to grow forever.”
2020 Enshrinement class includes eight others apart from Kobe Bryant
While Bryant, Duncan, and Garnett will be enshrined from the NBA, WNBA’s Rudy Tomjanovich is also a part of the class of 2020. She is also a 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist. Apart from the four, five others will find themselves as in the Hall of Fame.
Kobe, Tim Duncan, KG, Duncanville HS product Tamika Catchings, Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, Eddie Sutton, Rudy T, Barbara Stevens and contributor Patrick Baumann make the @Hoophall Class of ’20. Quite a class.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) April 4, 2020
It includes four-time National Coach of the Year Eddie Sutton, two-time NBA Champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich, three-time NCAA National Championship Coach of Baylor Kim Mulkey, five-time Division II National Coach of the Year Barbara Stevens, and longtime FIBA executive Patrick Baumann.
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