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‘Kobe was one of a kind’, Vanessa Bryant says in moving speech at Basketball Hall of Fame

  • The late LA Lakers player was inducted almost 16 months after he and his daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash
  • Vanessa Bryant delivered an emotional speech about her husband’s love for basketball, his family, teammates and fans

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Kobe Bryant was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame on May 15, 2021 in New York City. Photo: Getty Images/AFP
Agence France-Presse
US basketball icon Kobe Bryant was inducted posthumously into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday part of a star-studded group that also included Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
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The late Los Angeles Lakers player was inducted as part of the Class of 2020, almost 16 months after he and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were killed in a helicopter crash along with seven others in southern California.

Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, took the podium on Saturday to speak movingly about his love for basketball, his family, his teammates and his fans.

Presenter Michael Jordan holds the hand of Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, after her speech on May 15, 2021. Photo: AP
Presenter Michael Jordan holds the hand of Kobe Bryant's widow, Vanessa Bryant, after her speech on May 15, 2021. Photo: AP

“You did it. You are in the Hall of Fame now. You are a true champion, not just an MVP. You are an all-time great,” Vanessa said.

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San Antonio Spurs star Duncan, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics big man Garnett, two-time NBA champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich and WNBA legend Tamika Catchings were among those also inducted on Saturday night.

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