Fast track into Hall of Fame for Bryant
LOS ANGELES: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is set to bypass the normal election process and make the late Kobe Bryant the first inductee of the 2020 class.
Basketball great Bryant (41) died on Monday along with his 13yearold daughter, Gianna, and seven others in a helicopter crash in California.
As an 18time AllStar, a fivetime NBA champion and the fourthleading scorer in league history, Bryant was virtually assured of being elected on the first ballot in his first year of eligibility this year anyway.
‘‘Expected to be arguably the most epic class ever with Kobe, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett,’’ Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo said, as per a report in the Athletic.
‘‘Kobe will be honoured the way he should be.’’
The other 2020 finalists will be announced next month during AllStar Weekend.
The rest of the class will be announced in April at the Final Four, and Bryant’s posthumous induction will take place in Springfield on August 29.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers game against intercity rival the Los Angeles Clippers scheduled for yesterday at the Staples Center was postponed.
‘‘The decision was made out of respect for the Lakers organisation, which is deeply grieving the tragic loss of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people in a helicopter crash on Sunday,’’ the NBA said.
Thousands of fans have continued to gather at a shrine outside the centre and tributes also continued to flow in from major global sports stars.
Michael Jordan, arguably the most famous basketballer of all time, described Bryant as like his ‘‘little brother’’.
Former England football captain David Beckham, who played for the LA Galaxy from 2007 to 2012 and was a friend of Bryant’s, paid his own personal tribute.
Writing on his Instagram page, Beckham said: ‘‘This was one special athlete, husband, father and friend. Having to write these words is hard enough but also knowing we have lost an amazing human being and his beautiful and talented daughter, Gianna, is heartbreaking’’.
In Melbourne, Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic led the tennis world in mourning Bryant’s death.
‘‘My heart truly mourns over the news today. Kobe was a great mentor and friend to me,’’ the Serbian world No 2 wrote.
In his own touching tribute to Bryant, huge basketball fan and Australian player Nick Kyrgios donned an LA Lakers No 8 singlet as he entered the arena before his defeat by top seed Rafael Nadal. — Reuters