Kobe Bryant to be posthumously inducted into Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryant was selected on Saturday to be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bryant was one of nine finalists selected for the honor. The induction will take place Aug. 29 in Springfield, Mass., with 2020 being the first year the late NBA star qualified for the nomination.

Bryant’s accolades include being a five-time champion, an MVP and an 18-time All-Star. He was also a 15-time All-NBA selection during the 20 seasons he played for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jeanie Buss, the controlling owner and president of the Lakers, honored Bryant’s legacy in a statement, saying, “No amount of words can fully describe what Kobe Bryant meant to the Los Angeles Lakers.”

“Kobe was not only a proven winner and a champion, he gave everything he had to the game of basketball. His fierce competitiveness, work ethic, and drive were unmatched,” Buss added.

Other inductees to the Hall of Fame include Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs; Kevin Garnett for his 21 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets; and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings of the Indiana Fever.

Bryant was nominated in February, shortly after he and his daughter Gianna died in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles on Jan. 26, along with seven others on board.