Hall of Fame-bound Tamika Catchings and our conversation that affirmed everything
Tamika Catchings, who is the WNBA s all-time steals leaders and third in both points and rebounds, will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend.
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I did my job until I didn t.
Fourteen minutes and 52 seconds in, I hadn t asked her one question pertaining to the reason this piece was greenlit, the very impetus of our talk: Catchings induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend. We should probably talk about that a little bit, I note sheepishly at the 14:53 mark. The Hall.
Michael Jordan to present Kobe Bryant at Hall of Fame induction
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After emulating his idol’s game, competitive instincts and mannerisms during his 20-year NBA career, Kobe Bryant surely would have wanted Michael Jordan as his presenter for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
It remains inspiring considering Jordan spoke so eloquently at Bryant’s memorial last year about their relationship. It also remains bittersweet since Bryant won’t be there for his induction as a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer on Saturday after dying nearly 16 months ago in a helicopter crash with his 13-year-old daughter (Gianna) and seven others.
Those that knew Bryant well believed his Hall of Fame speech would have been as unique as his on-court performances. And though he admired Jordan for how he played basketball, sought any competitive edge and maximized his business earnings, Bryant would not have wanted to be like Mike with his Hall of Fame speech. For all the endless comparisons on whether Jordan or Bryant finished with a
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Kobe Bryant arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
After a surreal year that saw the unthinkable happen with the premature death of a man in his early forties last January, Saturday, May 15, 2021, is a day to celebrate the life of the late, NBA great Kobe Bryant. This afternoon, his name will be enshrined forever with those of other legends during a ceremony by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducting its 2020 Class. More on that later.
Kobe Bryant’s greatness was evident even before he reached the pro level, of course he was drafted right out of high school, after all. My colleague Shipwreckedcrew wrote earlier today about one clarifying moment in that time period that remains unforgettable to those lucky enough to witness it his unyielding workout, at 17 years old, for Jerry West of the Lakers.
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Kobe s legacy is being honored tomorrow during Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Kobe s good friend Michael Jordan will present the induction and Vanessa will deliver a speech in honor of her husband. Vanessa had a helping hand in designing Kobe s special Hall of Fame exhibit in Massachusetts, which will be unveiled during the ceremony. The exhibit is called Kobe: A Basketball Life, and features replicas of the five championship rings he helped the LA Lakers win, a pair of sneakers he wore during a 2006 game, and his Oscar-winning film
Dear Basketball.
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