Kobe Bryant set to join Basketball Hall of Fame’s 2020 class after dying in helicopter crash aged 41
KOBE Bryant is expected to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame following his tragic death. The 41-year-old, along with eight others — including his daughter Gianna — died yesterday when the helicopter he was aboard crashed into a hillside in foggy Calabasas, California. The NBA superstar retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer […]
KOBE Bryant is expected to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame following his tragic death.
The 41-year-old, along with eight others — including his daughter Gianna — died yesterday when the helicopter he was aboard crashed into a hillside in foggy Calabasas, California.
The NBA superstar retired in 2016 as the third-leading scorer in league history.
The self-nicknamed “Black Mamba” finished his professional career with 33,643 points, all of which were scored as a Los Angeles Laker.
He became one of the greatest basketball players of his generation during his 20-year career with the Lakers.
Kobe won a record four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, was the overall league MPV in 2008 and was a two-time NBA scoring champion. He also earned 12 selections to the NBA’s All-Defensive teams and two Olympic gold medals.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame tweeted after Kobe’s death they were with “the rest of the basketball world in mourning the untimely passing of Kobe Bryant, a nominee for this year’s #20HoopClass and an icon of the game.”
“We offer our sincerest condolences to the Bryant Family and those affected by this tragedy.”
This year marks the first time Kobe will be eligible for the Hall of Fame — and it’s expected he’ll be elected.
Hall of Fame Chairman Jerry Colangelo told The Athletic: “Expected to be arguably the most epic class ever with Kobe, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.”
“Kobe will be honored the way he should be.”
Per the news outlet, Bryant will be part of the Hall of Fame’s standard screening process on Wednesday.
Finalists will be named in February during the NBA’s All-Star weekend, and the formal inductees will be announced at the Final Four in April.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said the league was “devastated by the tragic passing” of Bryant and his daughter.
“For 20 seasons, Kobe showed us what is possible when remarkable talent blends with an absolute devotion to winning.”
“He was one of the most extraordinary players in the history of our game with accomplishments that are legendary: five NBA championships, an NBA MVP award, 18 NBA All-Star selections, and two Olympic gold medals.”
Silver said Bryant “will be remembered most for inspiring people around the world to pick up a basketball and compete to the very best of their ability.”
He described the legend as “generous with the wisdom he acquired and saw it as his mission to share it with future generations of players, taking special delight in passing down his love of the game to Gianna.”
“We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Vanessa, and their family, the Lakers organization and the entire sports world.”
After news of Kobe’s death broke, a fan organized a Change.org petition to have the NBA’s logo changed to feature the silhouette of the 41-year-old.
The petition, started by “Nick M,” reads: “With the untimely and unexpected passing of the great Kobe Bryant please sign this petition in an attempt to immortalize him forever as the new NBA logo.”
“I hope with our effort that our dream does come true and we are able to see Kobe Bryant engraved into the NBA Logo.”
Kobe will be honored the way he should be.”
Jerry Colangelo, Basketball Hall of Fame chairman
The petition organizer added: “Let’s continue to spread this petition out! And as Kobe would’ve said, ‘Mamba out’.”
The NBA’s current logo was debuted in 1971 and features the silhouette of Jerry West, another NBA legend who in 2019 was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Donald Trump.
Once he retired, West coached the Lakers for three seasons before moving to the front office, where he signed such greats as Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal — and Bryant.
West was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1979.
His silhouette is found all over the place in the NBA and serves as the basis of the NBA logo: a player dribbling a ball set against a red-and-blue background.
Fans on the Change.org petition were vocal about why they think the logo should feature Bryant.
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“If there was ever a time for an update and to someone who deserves it and has given his entire life to basketball, is now,” one fan wrote.
Another said: “Kobe was loved world wide & helped the sport become popular all over the world.”
“There couldn’t be a better way of showing how big of a part he was in everybody’s life involved in the NBA whether officially or as a fan, than having him as the new logo on everything that’s NBA Official letting his memory live on forever.”
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