Kobe Bryant will headline the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame class. After the announcement, Bryant's wife Vanessa, and their oldest daughter, Natalia, told ESPN that they are "extremely proud of him" and this is the cumulation of his life's work.
"It is an incredible accomplishment and honor," Vanessa said. "We are extremely proud of him. Obviously, we wish he was here with us to celebrate. This is definitely the peak of his NBA career and every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a stepping stone to be here."
Along with Vanessa, Lakers owner and Bryant's close friend, Jeanie Buss, also shared her thoughts on Bryant's Hall of Fame induction.
"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. His fierce competitiveness, work ethic and drive were unmatched," Buss said per the Los Angeles Times. "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."
The Hall of Fame announced their inductees on Saturday. The induction ceremony is set to take place during the enshrinement ceremony on Aug. 28-30. Bryant's illustrious career would have made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but his untimely death has added an unexpected emotional aspect to this selection. In February, the committee announced that Kobe would be a finalist for this year's induction class.
Bryant spent 20 years with the Lakers. He won five championships with the team, two Finals MVPs, and two NBA MVPs. Bryant is also fourth in NBA history with 33,643 points, fifth in field goals made (11,719), and no. 12 in points per game (25.0). Bryant will be enshrined with fellow first-ballot selections in Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Indiana Fever star, Tamika Catchings.
