Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Kobe, Duncan, Garnett all first-time Hall finalists
Kobe Bryant was one of eight finalists announced Friday as candidates for enshrinement into the Basketball Hall of Fame later this year, a decision that came as absolutely no surprise in his first year of eligibility.
Joining Bryant as first-time finalists for the Hall: 15-time All-Star Tim Duncan, fellow 15-time All-Star Kevin Garnett and 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings.
The other finalists have all been to this point previously: Baylor women’s coach Kim Mulkey, former Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich, five-time Division II women’s coach of the year Barbara Stevens of Bentley, and four-time national men’s college coach of the year Eddie Sutton.
This year’s enshrinement class will be announced April 4 at college basketball’s Final Four in Atlanta. The induction ceremony is Aug. 29 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Bryant was an 18-time All-Star and five-time NBA champion during a 20-year career with the Lakers, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and is the No. 4 scorer in league history. He, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, died Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash in Southern California.
“We did it because of the enormity, even before Kobe’s death, that we think Kobe and Duncan and Garnett bring to it,” said Jerry Colangelo, Chairman of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “We’ve never had a class that strong at the top. And then, of course, with Kobe’s death it added more focus.”
Catchings is also a past WNBA MVP, won a national championship under coach Pat Summitt at Tennessee and was a four-time All-American with the Lady Vols.
“I’m just so blessed,” Catchings said.
“I’m so thankful.”
The Hall also announced its Curt Gowdy Media Award recipients for this year: sportswriter and commentator Michael Wilbon, who spent three decades at The Washington Post and now is with ESPN, and longtime NBA play-by-play commentator Mike Breen.
Also, the John W. Bunn Lifetime Achievement Award will be awarded posthumously to Tim Nugent, the founder of the National Wheelchair Basketball Association.
Garnett to get number retired: The Celtics announced that Kevin Garnett’s No. 5 would be retired during the 2021-22 season, NBA.com reported.
Garnett spent six of his 22 NBA seasons with the Celtics, averaging 15.7 points and 8.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.2 steals with them. His number will be the 24th retired by the Celtics.