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Video: Vanessa Bryant Honors Kobe with Powerful 2020 Basketball HOF Induction Speech
May 16, 2021
Vanessa Bryant delivered a stirring, emotional and powerful speech to present her late husband, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, for enshrinement into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The entire 12-minute speech can be found below:
Bryant presented her husband alongside NBA legend Michael Jordan. She covered numerous topics, including the significant physical toll he endured to play through pain:
Vanessa recalled asking Kobe why he didn't just sit to rest and let injuries heal, and the five-time NBA champion provided this response:
Bryant is one of the most driven, motivated and relentless workers in NBA history, and his doubters helped fuel his work ethic.
That's also something Jordan is known quite well for. Bryant also took the time to thank MJ for appearing alongside her.
There were moments of levity, like when Vanessa Bryant imagined how Kobe Bryant would act at the ceremony:
There were also many emotional moments, like when Vanessa Bryant mentioned how her late daughter, Gianna, would react upon seeing her father enshrined.
Vanessa Bryant closed as follows:
Bryant received tons of well-deserved praise for her excellent speech, with some examples below:
Kobe Bryant was one of nine new members inducted into the Hall of Fame class of 2020 on Saturday.
His career included 18 All-Star Game appearances, five NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVP awards, 15 All-NBA team nods, the 2007-08 regular-season NBA MVP and many more accolades.