The NBA announced on Saturday that it had set the date for the celebration of its new Hall of Fame candidates, including the late Kobe Bryant.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ beloved icon Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs will be big names in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in May 2021. The event was to take place in Springfield, Massachusetts. in August, but finally delayed by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, will now take place May 13-15.
The May 2021 event will be a posthumous honor for Bryant, who passed away in early 2020. Bryant, also known as the “Black Mamba” on the court, was an 18-time NBA All-Star and basketball legend.
Beyond the court, Bryant was Vanessa Bryant’s husband, father of four daughters and also an Oscar winner. In 2018 he received his first Oscar for his animated short film Dear basketball. Told by Bryant, Dear basketballI follow the player’s relationship with the sport from their first games to some of their most memorable moments on the pitch.
Bryant and his daughter and aspiring basketball player Gianna Bryant died on January 26 in a helicopter crash. Seven others were also killed in the incident.
The Naismith Hall Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame not only celebrates MVPs on the court, but also coaches and contributors. Athletes include trainers Eddie Sutton, Rudy Tomjanovich, Kim Mulkey, and Barbara Stevens. Patrick Baumann and Tamika Catchings are also on the list of 2020 candidates.
Notable Hall of Fame candidates include Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and John Wooden.