Kobe Bryant will be a member of the Hall of Fame.
According to Shams Charania, Basketball Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo said Kobe will be a member of the 2020 class, and added, “Kobe will be honored the way he should be.” (RELATED: NBA Legend Kobe Bryant Dies In Helicopter Crash)
The move comes after Bryant was killed Sunday in a helicopter crash in California.
Kobe Bryant will be a first-ballot enshrinement into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class of 2020.
“Expected to be arguably the most epic class ever with Kobe, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett,” HOF chairman Jerry Colangelo says. “Kobe will be honored the way he should be.”
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 27, 2020
Bryant will be part of standard Hall of Fame screening process on Wednesday, with finalists in February at All-Star break and formal inductees at the Final 4 in April. https://t.co/OYFMwFIJxD
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 27, 2020
This is a classy move by the Hall of Fame, and there’s also no doubt Kobe earned his spot. This isn’t just being done because of the tragedy.
It’s being done because Kobe Bryant 100% belongs in the Hall of Fame. This is a guy who won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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He’s one of the most dominant players to ever pick up a basketball, which makes his shocking death at the age of 41 so much more horrific.
Now, he’ll get his rightful place in the Hall of Fame among the other greats in the sport of basketball.
It won’t help ease the pain, but it’s well deserved.
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Keep checking back for more updates on Kobe’s tragic death when we have them.