“You got it. You are already in the Hall of Fame. You are a true champion “, said the widow of Kobe Bryant, Vanessa, this Saturday in an emotional speech by the entrance to the institution of the ex-star of the Lakers of the NBA.
Accompanied to the stage by the legendary Michael Jordan, Vanessa Bryant thanked her late husband for the recognition of entering the Basketball Hall of Fame.
“I wish my husband were here to accept this incredible award. He and (his daughter) Gigi deserve to be here to witness this, ”Vanessa said during her 12-minute speech at the Mohegan Sun arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Bryant was one of nine members of the 2020 class to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday, a year late due to the coronavirus pandemic, also including other league giants such as Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
Retired in 2016, Kobe Bryant won five championships with the Lakers, two MVP (Most Valuable Player) awards from the Finals, was an 18-time All-Star and winner of two Olympic gold medals with the United States.
Epic NBA Hall of Fame ceremony where Kobe Bryant was immortalized. Kobe’s wife also thanked Michael Jordan, a Hall of Famer since 2009, for introducing her husband’s induction.
Kobe «admired you. This means a lot to us, ”said Vanessa, who was also accompanied by her daughters Natalia, Capri and Bianka.
Considered by many to be the greatest player in NBA history, Jordan was Bryant’s great childhood idol.
The two also shared a close friendship as revealed by the former Chicago Bulls star after the death of Kobe and his teenage daughter Gianna (Gigi) in a helicopter accident in January 2020 along with seven other people. (GG) (AFP)
Nathalia Bryant, Kobe’s daughter, received the Hall of Fame jacket and posed alongside the other honorees of the NBA’s class of 2021.