“Thank you to our girls, Natalia and Gianna, for giving so much time for Papa so he can focus on being the best at everything he sets out to do,” she added. “He loves you girl so much. Congratulations, baby. All of your hard work and sacrifices have paid off. You once told me, ‘If you want to bet on someone, bet on yourself.’ I’m glad you bet on yourself, your high-flyer. You did it. You are now in the Hall of Fame. “
She concluded, “You’re a true champion. You’re not just an MVP. You’re an all-time great. I’m so proud of you. I love you forever and always. Kobe Bryant.”
In addition to Kobe’s posthumous honor, so did the ceremony Basketball stars introduced that late Patrick Baumann, Tamika catches, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Kim Mulkey, Barbara Stevens, Eddie Sutton and Rudy Tomjanovich.
In addition, Kobe’s life was celebrated during the In Memoriam portion of the ceremony, which saw footage of the 41-year-old star appear on screen. Ne-yo performed during the Incredible segment.
On Friday, May 14th, Vanessa and Natalia honored Kobe at the Tip-Off Celebration and Awards Gala, a pre-event for the induction ceremony. They received the posthumous 2020 Hall of Fame red jacket and basketball icon’s ring, which Vanessa Natalia donned as the crowd sang her father’s name.
