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After emulating his idol’s game, competitive instincts and mannerisms during his 20-year NBA career, Kobe Bryant surely would have wanted Michael Jordan as his presenter for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
It remains inspiring considering Jordan spoke so eloquently at Bryant’s memorial last year about their relationship. It also remains bittersweet since Bryant won’t be there for his induction as a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer on Saturday after dying nearly 16 months ago in a helicopter crash with his 13-year-old daughter (Gianna) and seven others.
Those that knew Bryant well believed his Hall of Fame speech would have been as unique as his on-court performances. And though he admired Jordan for how he played basketball, sought any competitive edge and maximized his business earnings, Bryant would not have wanted to be like Mike with his Hall of Fame speech. For all the endless comparisons on whether Jordan or Bryant finished with a
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Kobe Bryant arrives at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
After a surreal year that saw the unthinkable happen with the premature death of a man in his early forties last January, Saturday, May 15, 2021, is a day to celebrate the life of the late, NBA great Kobe Bryant. This afternoon, his name will be enshrined forever with those of other legends during a ceremony by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducting its 2020 Class. More on that later.
Kobe Bryant’s greatness was evident even before he reached the pro level, of course he was drafted right out of high school, after all. My colleague Shipwreckedcrew wrote earlier today about one clarifying moment in that time period that remains unforgettable to those lucky enough to witness it his unyielding workout, at 17 years old, for Jerry West of the Lakers.
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Through 20 NBA seasons, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar collected trophies that either symbolized his NBA championships (six), his Finals MVPs (two) or his regular-season MVP’s (six).
Amid the NBA legend s ongoing quest to address social justice issues with his written and spoken words as well as community initiatives, Abdul-Jabbar has another award associated with him. The NBA created the “Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award,” which will go to a current NBA player that will result in a $100,000 donation to an organization of his choosing. The other four finalists will each select an organization to receive a $25,000 donation.
All 30 NBA teams will nominate a player from their roster for consideration of the award. A seven-member committed composed of NBA legends, league executives and social justice leaders will select the winner and four finalists.
By Megan Armstrong | Last updated 5/10/21 LeBron James may be returning right when the Los Angeles Lakers need him most.
The perennial All-Star initially suffered a high-ankle sprain March 20 that placed him out indefinitely, and while he returned to the lineup for an April 30 matchup with Sacramento, he re-aggravated the injury in a loss to Toronto on May 2.
Now, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic, James is set to return (again) this week:
Lakers star LeBron James is targeting Tuesday vs. New York for return to the lineup from sore right ankle, sources tell @TheAthletic@Stadium. If not Tuesday, Wednesday vs. Houston is possible. Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 10, 2021