Vanessa Bryant accepted the induction of her late husband, Kobe Bryant, into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
During the Saturday evening ceremony in Springfield, Massachusetts, Michael Jordan, himself a retired National Basketball Association player who was twice inducted into the Hall of Fame, presented the award, after which Vanessa Bryant delivered remarks honoring her husband’s achievements.
“I used to avoid praising my husband in public because I felt like he got enough praise from his fans around the world and someone had to bring him back to reality. Right now, I’m sure he’s laughing in heaven because I’m about to praise him in public for his accomplishments on one of the most public stages,” she said. “I could see him know, arms folded, with a huge grin saying, ‘Isn’t this some s—?’ He’s still winning.”
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She also said she wished Kobe and Gianna “Gigi” Bryant, who were killed in a helicopter crash in January 2020, could have attended the ceremony, noting her husband’s enthusiasm for his induction into the museum.
“He didn’t really talk about upcoming awards, but he did mention this one a week before he and Gigi passed. My husband and I were sitting on our kitchen island, and he and I had a conversation about my mother- and father-in-law attending tonight’s enshrinement. I invited my mother- and father-in-law to tonight’s enshrinement to thank them one of the most amazing human beings into this world,” she said. “Pam and Joe, thank you for raising Kobe to be exceptional. Thank you to all of Kobe’s family. [Sister-in-law] Sharia, you’ve gone above and beyond. I love you.”
The Los Angeles Lakers player’s widow said there would “never be anyone like Kobe” because he was “one of a kind.”
“He was special, he was humble off the court but bigger than life … [and] if my husband were here tonight, he would have a long list of people to thank that helped inspire him and equip him to be in the Hall of Fame: family, friends, mentors, the Lakers, teammates, muses, and opponents. This is one of the hard parts of not having him here. At the risk of leaving anyone out, I can only say thank you. To all those who helped him get here, you know who you are, and I thank you on his behalf.”
The late basketball player, his daughter 13-year-old Gianna, and seven others perished in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020, while en route to a basketball game at Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California. An examination by authorities revealed that the aircraft did not suffer engine failure, and the collision was attributed to the pilot likely becoming disoriented. Vanessa Bryant filed a wrongful death suit against the helicopter company in February of last year.
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Kobe Bryant was elected to the Hall of Fame in April 2020 following a 20-season career with the Lakers. Vanessa Bryant shared photos of their two youngest daughters visiting his new Hall of Fame exhibit on Friday ahead of his induction.
Kobe and Vanessa Bryant had four daughters together: Natalia, 18; Gianna, 13; Bianka, 4; and Capri, 22 months. Natalia Bryant wore Kobe Bryant’s Hall of Fame ring and jacket to Friday’s Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala.
