Class of 2020 enshrined
Bryant, Duncan and Garnett highlight accomplished group
Vanessa Bryant took Michael Jordan’s hand and walked down from the stage, a familiar chant breaking out throughout the arena as she made her way back to her seat.
“Kobe! Kobe! Kobe!” the crowd shouted.
With that, he was — officially, finally — a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Kobe Bryant is in the Hall now, along with contemporaries Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, headliners of a group of nine who got their delayed and longawaited enshrinement on Saturday night, more than a year after being announced as the Hall’s Class of 2020.
“Right now, I’m sure he’s laughing in heaven, because I’m about to praise him in public,” Vanessa Bryant said.
And she did, her purple dress matching the traditional Los Angeles Lakers color, capping the night by giving the speech that her husband was not here to deliver.
“There will never be anyone like Kobe,” Vanessa Bryant said. “Kobe was one of a kind. He was special. He was humble — off the court — but bigger than life.”
Bryant, Duncan and Garnett were joined in the class by three-time NCAA champion coach Kim Mulkey, two-time NBA champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich, four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings, three-time Final Four coach Eddie Sutton, 1,000-game winner Barbara Stevens and longtime FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann.
“I appreciate you,” Garnett said to Duncan from the stage. “It’s an honor to go into the hall with you, bro. You and Kob.”
Duncan stayed true to who he is: modest and humble, on a day where his Spurs coach, Gregg Popovich, missed a game to see his enshrinement.
“This is the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life,” Duncan said as he began his speech. “Been through finals, Game 7’s,
Vanessa Bryant is greeted by presenter Michael Jordan after speaking on behalf of Class of 2020 inductee Kobe Bryant during the Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. Kobe Bryant tragically died in a California helicopter crash on Jan 26, 2020, along with his daughter and seven others. this is officially the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve been pacing in my room all day, so let’s see what we get.”
As usual, he delivered in the clutch.
And the other speeches didn’t disappoint.
The Hall of Fame has a 10minute countdown clock on the prompter that speakers used to assist with their remarks. Catchings blew past that with ease, going several minutes past in an emotional address that covered her many challenges.
“Basketball chose me, an awkward, lanky, introverted tomboy, born with a hearing disability, a speech impediment, and a will to overcome obstacles, dream big and to change the world,” Catchings said.
The totality of the accomplishments of the Hall class are staggering.
Bryant, Garnett, Duncan and Catchings combined for 58 Allstar appearances. Mulkey, Tomjanovich, Sutton and Stevens combined for more than 3,000 coaching wins. Baumann is widely lauded for his efforts in getting 3x3 basketball added to the Olympic program.