VANESSA Bryant stood at the podium on Saturday evening (Sunday in Manila) as her late husband Kobe was being formally inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and she noted that she always avoided praising the former Los Angeles Lakers star in public.
You see, Vanessa Bryant regularly heard thousands of fans and other people heaping praise on the five-time NBA champion, 18-time NBA All-Star and 2007-08 MVP.
“Someone had to bring him back to reality,” Vanessa Bryant said. “Right now, I’m sure he’s laughing in heaven because I’m about to praise him in public for his accomplishments on one of the most public stages.”
Vanessa Bryant’s stirring speech was the highlight of the ceremony in Uncasville, Connecticut, in which Kobe Bryant was one of the nine members of the 2020 Hall of Fame class. NBA legends Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett were among the other inductees.
Also inducted were NBA player and coach Rudy Tomjanovich, men’s college coach Eddie Sutton, women’s college coaches Kim Mulkey and Barbara Stevens, star women’s player Tamika Catchings and executive Patrick Baumann.
The induction ceremonies were delayed a year due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
Kobe Bryant died at age 41 on January 26, 2020, in a helicopter crash in Southern California. His 13-year-daughter Gianna also died in the crash as did seven others, including the pilot.
Kobe Bryant was presented by Michael Jordan, a player he looked up to as a child.
Vanessa Bryant said Kobe was greatly looking forward to the induction ceremony with the award basically being the topper to his stellar 20-year NBA career.
“Kobe’s personal stats speak for themselves, Kobe was on a different level,” Vanessa Bryant said. “He never took shortcuts when it came to basketball. He gave this game his all.”
Vanessa Bryant touched on several aspects of Kobe’s career, including the April night in 2013 when he tore his Achilles at age 34. The badly hurt Kobe Bryant somehow made it to the free-throw line to make the two shots before soon limping off the floor. — Field Level Media
