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Posts tagged as “Kobe”

Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame

May 17, 2021
Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett inducted in the Basketball Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are now officially basketball legends, since they are now officially, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Kobe Bryant – The Black Mamba

The 13th pick of the the Lakers in the first round of the 1996 NBA draft, Kobe Bryant stayed with the Lakers for 20 years. He is an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, a 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP), and a two-time NBA Finals MVP and 5-time NBA Champion. He holds the second most points scored in a single game in league history, when he scored 81-points in a 122–104 victory against the Toronto Raptors.

Kobe died in a helicopter accident last January 26, 2020. Vanessa and Natalia Bryant receive Kobe Bryant’s official Hall of Fame Class Jacket and Ring.

Tim Duncan – The Big Fundamental

Better known as the “Big Fundamental”, Tim Duncan was selected by San Antonio with the first overall pick in the 1997 NBA draft. Tim Duncan played all his 19 years as a Spurs, winning 5 NBA championship, a two-time NBA MVP, a three-time NBA Finals MVP, 15-time NBA All-Star, and the NBA Rookie of the Year.

Tim Duncan is the only player to be selected to both the All-NBA and All-Defensive Teams for 13 consecutive seasons. He is regarded as the greatest power forward of all time to ever played the game of Basketball.

Kevin Garnett – The Big Ticket

Drafted fifth overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kevin Garnett was given the nickname “the Big Ticket” for his intensity, emphatic dunking and athleticism. He is one of 3 NBA players to win the Most Valuable Player, the Defensive Player of the Year awards and All-Star Game MVP.

He played with the Minnesota Timberwolves for 12 years then joined the Boston Celtics in a trade, there he teamed-up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, to win the 2008 NBA champion.

More inductees for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2020;

  • Patrick Baumann – Contributor
  • Tamika Catchings – Player
  • Kim Mulkey – Coach
  • Barbara Stevens – Coach
  • Eddie Sutton – Coach
  • Rudy Tomjanovich – Coach

Source: NBA

Los Angeles Lakers retires Kobe Bryant’s Jersey No. 8 and No. 24

December 19, 2017

During the half-time break of the LA Lakers – Golden State Warriors game, Los Angeles Lakers retired Kobe Bryant’s Jersey No. 8 and No. 24, the first time an NBA team to retire two jersey number used by the same player on the same team. Kobe wore jersey no. 8 from his rookie 1996-97 season to 2005-06, then no. 24, which he wore from 2006-07 till his final 2015-16 season, both on the same team.

Kobe’s career highlights and awards;

  • 5× NBA champion (2000–2002, 2009, 2010)
  • 2× NBA Finals MVP (2009, 2010)
  • NBA Most Valuable Player (2008)
  • 18× NBA All-Star (1998, 2000–2016)
  • 4× NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011)
  • 11× All-NBA First Team (2002–2004, 2006–2013)
  • 2× All-NBA Second Team (2000, 2001)
  • 2× All-NBA Third Team (1999, 2005)
  • 9× NBA All-Defensive First Team (2000, 2003, 2004, 2006–2011)
  • 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2001, 2002, 2012)
  • 2× NBA scoring champion (2006, 2007)
  • NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (1997)
  • NBA All-Rookie Second Team (1997)
  • Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996)

Fellow NBA and Laker Star attended the ceremony including Shaq, Iverson, Magic Johnson Bill Russell and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.