Michael Jordan To Honor Kobe Bryant At Hall Of Fame Ceremony
Michael Jordan is slated to honor Kobe Bryant at the 2020 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Ceremony on May 15.
After a delay of the event due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ceremony will take place next month. According to a press release, all the honorees chose who would induct them.
"Members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2020 were asked to select previous inductees to accompany and present them to their peers," the Hall of Fame said. "The choice is solely the decision of the incoming Hall of Famers, or their family members if recognized posthumously."
Jordan and Bryant had a legendary friendship on and off the court. Both are also considered among the greatest players to ever play the sport.
Jordan was also among the mourners to pay tribute to Bryant at the powerful Staples Center memorial for the athlete last year.
"It may be a surprise to people that Kobe and I were very close friends," Jordan said at the memorial. "He was like a little brother. Everyone always wanted to talk about the comparisons between he and I. I just wanted to talk about Kobe."
On January 26, Kobe and his daughter Gianna were headed to a basketball tournament at Mamba Academy in California when they, along with seven other passengers including Payton Chester, Sarah Chester, Alyssa Altobelli Keri Altobelli, John Altobelli, Christina Mauser, and the helicopter’s pilot, Ara Zobayan, died in a fatal crash.
Below is a list of those who will be honored and inducted by.
Patrick Baumann, presented by Russ Granik (2013), Vlade Divac (2019)
Kobe Bryant, presented by Michael Jordan (2009)
Tamika Catchings, presented by Alonzo Mourning (2014), Dawn Staley (2013)
Tim Duncan, presented by David Robinson (2009)
Kevin Garnett, presented by Isiah Thomas (2000)
Kim Mulkey, presented by Michael Jordan (2009)
Barbara Stevens, presented by Geno Auriemma (2006), Muffet McGraw (2017)
Eddie Sutton, presented by John Calipari (2015), Bill Self (2017), Sidney Moncrief (2019)
Rudy Tomjanovich, presented by Calvin Murphy (1993), Hakeem Olajuwon (2008)
