A long held expectation became a reality when it was officially announced Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was set to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bryant, along with former San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan, Minnesota Timberwolves legend Kevin Garnett, former Houston Rockets head coach Rudy Tomjanovich, 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings, among others in the 2020 Hall of Fame class, were due to be enshrined Aug. 29.
However, like with other sporting events and mass gatherings, the viability of moving ahead with the ceremony was thrown into some uncertainty due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.