Late Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant is on track for a first-ballot enshrinement into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame this year, as Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Bryant, who was among the eligible candidates announced last month, will be part of the Hall’s standard screening process this week, then is expected to be named a finalist in February and an inductee in April, per Charania (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Kobe Bryant dies in helicopter crash]
In addition to featuring Bryant, the Hall of Fame’s class of 2020 is expected to include Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, who are eligible for the first time this year. Players like Chris Bosh, Shawn Marion, and Michael Finley are also first-time nominees and Hall-of-Fame hopefuls. The list of inductees will be announced during the NCAA’s Final Four in Atlanta this spring.
“(The class of 2020 is) expected to be arguably the most epic class ever with Kobe, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett,” Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo said, according to Charania. “Kobe will be honored the way he should be.”
The enshrinement ceremony for the class of 2020 will take place on August 29 in Springfield, Massachusetts. Given the circumstances surrounding Bryant’s induction, it figures to be an emotional event.
Unanimous selection!
Derek Jeter
Bryant will be unanimous. Its not even a question
yea but there is always one guy who messes things up
If Duncan is included he will be overshadowed… but he might prefer that to get the first-ballot HOF honor.
Duncan has been overshadowed his entire career. He’s humble enough not to clamor for the accolades. He’s proven. I’m sure he has no problem with it.
Agreed.
I think Michael Finley might steal some votes from Kobe.
Said no one ever
Darko too
Finley was no Darko lol. Maybe not a HOFer but he was a very good player for a long time.
Cartoon Legends of Chamberlain Heights predicted this in 2016 sure is strange and why all the 666 at the oscars for him. Still on youtube. Crazy crap
It’s still sad that we now have to refer to Kobe Bryant as “the late Kobe Bryant”.
Kobe and duncan will be unanimous locks. Hard to say who else will join them. Unfortunately for us we wont get kobes enshrinement speech, something I was looking forward too.
KG and Bosh are widely expected to be inducted along with Kobe/Duncan. Probably won’t be unanimous like Kobe/Duncan, but Bosh and KG will definitely get in as well
KG definitely. He was on the same level s Kobe and Duncan. Bosh is a HOFer in my opinion, but I think he would better going in next year and leaving this a three man class.
It really is weird that some years have guys like Tracy McGrady as the headliner while two of the best players of this generation are going to be overshadowed. They probably would have been overshadowed even without Kobe’s death, but now they for sure will.
Bosh may eventually get in but I doubt he’ll be first ballot especially with the Kobe, Duncan and KG