Michael Jordan To Present Kobe Bryant At NBA Hall Of Fame Induction
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Michael Jordan will present the late Kobe Bryant when he is enshrined in the NBA Hall of Fame next month, it was announced Thursday.
Jordan gave an emotional and moving speech at Bryant's public memorial at Staples Center in February of 2020, describing Kobe as his "dear friend" and "little brother."
He was asked to present Kobe by the Bryant family, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame disclosed.
Bryant was selected to the NBA Hall of Fame's 2020 class. However, the enshrinement ceremony was pushed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ceremony will take place May 15 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut. Also being inducted are Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan and Baylor head women's basketball coach Kim Mulkey, who will also be presented by Jordan.
Bryant -- a five-time NBA champion, two-time MVP and 18-time All-Star -- was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame posthumously last April. He played his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
On the morning of Jan. 26, 2020, Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others were killed when the helicopter they were riding in crashed in the Calabasas hills amid heavy fog.