NBA

Michael Jordan To Present Kobe Bryant At Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony

Apr 15, 2021, 12:47 PM

NBA All-Star Michael Jordan (L) of the Washington Wizards watches Kobe Bryant (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers miss his second free throw that would have ended the game 09 February, 2003 during the NBA All-Star game at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Kevin Garnett was named the most valuable player in the West's 155-145 double over-time win against the East all-stars. (Photo by JEFF HAYNES / AFP)

(Photo by JEFF HAYNES / AFP)

BY TREVOR ALLEN, KSL SPORTS
KSL Sports

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – NBA legend and Class of 2009 Hall of Famer Michael Jordan will present Kobe Bryant in the induction ceremony in May.

Each year when the Hall of Fame class is inducted, each inductee will have a presenter. When Jerry Sloan was inducted into the Hall of Fame, Charles Barkley was his presenter. John Stockton’s presenter was Isiah Thomas. Karl Malone was presented by Willis Reed.

It is an honor to present a player into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Michael Jordan will get that honor to present Kobe Bryant, who was posthumously named to the Hall of Fame, passed away tragically passed away in a helicopter crash in January of 2020, along with his daughter Gianna and seven others in Southern California.

#20HoopClass inductee Kobe Bryant will be presented by Michael Jordan. pic.twitter.com/RDmEVK7EsN

— Basketball HOF (@Hoophall) April 15, 2021

The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 15 at Mohegan Sun Arena. This ceremony will include the inductees from the 2020 class since a ceremony was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are the rest of the 2020 Hall of Fame class and the presenters.

Patrick Baumann, presented by Russ Granik (’13) and Vlade Divac (’19)
Kobe Bryant, presented by Michael Jordan (’09)
Tamika Catchings, presented by Alonzo Mourning (’14) and Dawn Staley (’13)
Tim Duncan, presented by David Robinson (’09)
Kevin Garnett, presented by Isiah Thomas (’00)
Kim Mulkey, presented by Michael Jordan (’09)
Barbara Stevens, presented by Geno Auriemma (’06) and Muffet McGraw (’17)
Eddie Sutton, presented by John Calipari (’15), Bill Self (’17) and Sidney Moncrief (’19)
Rudy Tomjanovich, presented by Calvin Murphy (’93) and Hakeem Olajuwon (’08)

The 2021 Hall of Fame class announced nine players and five coaches as finalists for induction. Here are those finalists.