Kobe Bryant's "Hall Of Fame" Ceremony Delayed Due To COVID-19

Source: Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic / Rodin Eckenroth/FilmMagic

Earlier this year, the world lost one of its most iconic basketball players of all time: 20-year Laker and five-time NBA champion, Kobe Bryant. While the world is still mourning this loss every day, something new happens to make us question how can this be real. The first thing people instantly thought of when news of his passing broke was the fact we will never hear Kobe’s ‘Hall Of Fame’ speech. The ceremony was slated to take place this August, just 7 months after his untimely passing–and now, according to TMZ, the ceremony has been delayed.

The enshrinement ceremonies for the star-studded Hall of Fame class of 2020, which includes Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett alongside the late KB, are being delayed to next spring … according to HOF honcho Jerry Colangelo.

Jerry told ESPN the enshrinement ceremonies — originally scheduled for Aug. 28 to 30 with proposed alternate dates of Oct. 10 to 12 —  are “just not feasible” in the pandemic that’s killed more than 100,000 Americans, and made large gatherings basically impossible.

Colangelo says the Hall of Fame’s board of governors will meet June 10 to figure out dates for spring of 2021 for the enshrinement.

This change means the 2020 class and 2021 class will get inducted in the same year, however, according to the report, the ceremonies will be separate as the class of 2020 “deserves its own celebration.”

When it comes to these ceremonies, players have a huge guest list including friends, family, middle school coaches, high school coaches, college coaches, and everyone who helped them along the way, so with social distancing guidelines intact, its impossible to fit everyone under one roof. Delaying until 2021 is the best option, especially when players are still grieving the loss of Kobe Bryant.