SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (WHDH) - The leader of basketball’s Hall of Fame says the hall is still grappling with Kobe Bryant’s death, but is preparing to posthumously enshrine him into the Springfield institution this summer.
“With this tragedy or without, he was a first-ballot, unanimous Hall of Famer and I fully expect that to happen,” said John Doleva, president and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Doleva said he initially couldn’t believe that Bryant had died in a helicopter crash that also killed his daughter Gianna and seven other people in California yesterday.
“It just got worse and worse as the day went along,” Doleva said. “I woke up today thinking ‘Maybe it didn’t happen, maybe it was just a dream.'”
“The question that nags at me is what could’ve been,” Doleva said. “Leading his daughter in basketball on the women’s side, it would’ve been spectacular.”
But now Doleva is turning from shock and sadness to making preparations. This is the first year Bryant was eligible for the Hall of Fame and Doleva said there’s no doubt he’ll get in at August’s induction ceremony. Stars Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett are also on the ballot.
There is already a makeshift memorial for Bryant at the Hall, and Doleva says the Hall will do everything it can to give Bryant the honor he deserves.
“As we like to say here at the Hall of Fame, our Hall of Famers live forever here, and we’ll certainly celebrate his achievements in basketball,” Doleva said.
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