It has been a little over a year since the unexpected passing of Kobe Bryant. As many fans around the world continue to express how much he meant to so many people in various industries, his legacy as a basketball player is unmatched. By now we all know that Kobe will be an inductee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class.
As the ceremony quickly approaches, the list of Hall of Famers scheduled to present the incoming honorees has been announced.
According to ESPN, Michael Jordan is set to be the presenter that will honor Kobe as he is inducted into the hall of fame. As you all know, last year, MJ gave a very touching speech at Kobe and Gianna’s memorial service at the Staple Center. During his speech, he recalled all of the memories he and Kobe shared, and said, “As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother I could be.”
He talked about Kobe’s passion for the game of basketball and said, “He used to call me, text me, 11:30, 2:30, 3 o’clock in the morning, talking about post-up moves, footwork, and sometimes, the triangle. At first, it was an aggravation. But then it turned into a certain passion. This kid had passion like you would never know. It’s an amazing thing about passion. If you love something, if you have a strong passion for something, you would go to the extreme to try to understand or try to get it.”
Last year, Vanessa and Natalia Bryant spoke about Kobe’s election for the hall of fame. At the time, Vanessa 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. Obviously we wish that he was here with us to celebrate. 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.”
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on May 15th.
Michael Jordan will present Kobe Bryant in the 2020 Naismith Hall of Fame @Hoophall induction ceremony on May 15. Full list of inductees and presenters: pic.twitter.com/iD5r6EIxHF
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 15, 2021
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