The Naismith Basketball Memorial Hall of Fame said on Thursday the enshrinement ceremony for the Class of 2020, a group that includes the late Kobe Bryant, has been postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The enshrinement ceremony for the nine-member group, which includes Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, was scheduled for Aug. 29 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
¡°Given the unprecedented challenge of planning in the COVID-19 era, we are exploring several scenarios to accommodate the Class of 2020 ceremony, including postponing the festivities until October or early 2021,¡± John Doleva, the Hall of Fame¡¯s chief executive, said in a news release.
¡°In accordance with our original event planning timeline, the Hall of Fame will review all options and reserve its final decision to the week of June 15.¡±
Bryant, one of the most dominant players in NBA history, was killed with his daughter and seven others in a January helicopter crash.
Fourth all-time in NBA scoring, Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers during an illustrious 20-year career highlighted by five NBA championships, two NBA Finals MVPs and one league MVP.
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