The late, great Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Tim Duncan will all be enshrined into Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Aug. 29, in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Bryant and company will be accompanied by 10-time WNBA All-Star Tamika Catchings, three-time NCAA women’s champion, Baylor coach Kim Mulkey, five-time Bently University coach of the year Barbara Stevens, four-time NCAA coach of the year Eddie Sutton, and two-time NBA champion, former Houston Rocket coach, Rudy Tomjanovich.
It was a guarantee Duncan, Garnett, and Bryant would be admitted into Hall of Fame. But the often celebrated event will be engulfed in emotions with the passing of former NBA Commissioner, David Stern January 1 and the tragic passing of Bryant and his 13-year-daughter Gianna, January 26.
”It’s definitely the peak of his NBA career, and every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a stepping stone to be here,” Bryant’s widow Vanessa told ESPN in a video interview Saturday.
Tim Duncan, a five-time champion, a 2-time MVP, and a 15-time All-Star, played his entire 19-year career for Greg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs.
”It’s kind of the end of the journey here,” Duncan tells ESPN, “It was an incredible career that I enjoyed so much. To call it a dream come true isn’t doing it any justice because I never dreamt I would be at this point. I played the game, enjoyed the game, loved what I did, and to be here now with the guys I will be put in the Hall of Fame with is just an amazing class.”
Kevin ”KG” Garnett started his NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, after being the fifth pick in the 1995 NBA draft, becoming the first and youngest player drafted straight out of high school. KG won MVP honors with Minnesota and an NBA title with the Boston Celtics. During his 21 season career, KG was a 15-time Allstar, 2000 Gold Medal winner, and a 12-time All-Defensive selection.
”It’s the culmination,” Garnett told ESPN during Saturday’s announcement. “It’s the culmination, man. You put countless hours into this. You dedicate yourself to a craft. You take no days off. You play through injuries. You play through demise. You play through obstacles. You give no excuses for anything. You learn you build.”
Kobe Bryant, a 5-time NBA champion, 2-time Finals MVP, 18-time NBA All-Star, 4-time Allstar MVP, 15-time All-NBA selection, and 2-time Scoring Champion, is considered the greatest Lakers ever. Playing all 20 seasons with Los Angeles.
”No amount of words can fully describe what Kobe Bryant meant to the Los Angeles Lakers,” Lakers President, Jeanie Buss said in a statement. “Kobe was not only a proven winner and a champion, but he also gave everything he had to the game of basketball. 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.”
Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of the Hall of Fame’s nominating committee, said in a statement, “We’ve never had a class this strong at the top. And of course, with Kobe’s death, it adds more focus.”
Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, said Saturday that his election to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame was the “peak of his NBA career.”
Speaking to ESPN’s Rece Davis via FaceTime with her daughter Natalia by her side, Vanessa Bryant said, “It’s an incredible accomplishment and honor, and we’re extremely proud of him. Every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a steppingstone to be here,” she added. Obviously, we wish that he was here with us to celebrate,” Vanessa said. “But we’re incredibly proud of him. And there’s some solace in knowing that he was probably going to be a part of the 2020 Hall of Fame class.”
