Kobe Bryant and his legacy have felt ever-present this Hall of Fame weekend — there is even a newly redone exhibit about his life in the reopened Hall of Fame.
Saturday, Kobe was formally inducted into the Hall of Fame.
His widow, Vanessa, spoke in his place at the ceremony. Escorted to the stage by Michael Jordan, she gave a powerful and moving speech about Kobe and his legacy.
“Congratulations baby. All of your hard work and sacrifice has paid off. You once told me, if you are going to bet on someone, bet on yourself. I’m glad you bet on yourself, you overachiever.”
You changed the game. You inspired the world. Thank you, Kobe. #MambaForever x #20HoopClass pic.twitter.com/mHp0A3eOE7
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 15, 2021
Kobe enters the Hall of Fame as a five-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, NBA MVP (2008), 15-time All-NBA, 12-time All-Defense, 18-time All-Star, and four-time All-Star Game MVP — an award now named after him.