Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa gives tribute as he's inducted into Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryant's widow Vanessa gives tribute as he's inducted into Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryant’s widow Vanessa Bryant paid an emotional tribute to her late husband as he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The basketball star died in a helicopter crash in January 2020, along with their daughter Gianna, 13, and seven others.

Vanessa, 39, decided to take a leaf out of her late husband’s book, who ‘winged every speech’ and didn’t prepare anything for the ceremony, but she was ready to heap glowing praise on him after admitting it was something she held back on while he was alive.

She said: ‘I used to always avoid praising my husband in public because I felt like he got enough praise from his fans.

‘Along the road someone had to bring him back to reality.

‘Right now I am sure he is laughing in heaven because I’m about to praise him in public for his accomplishments on one of the most public stages.

Kobe, Vanessa with two of their daughters, Natalia and Gianna


‘I can see him now, arms folded, with a huge grin saying, “Isn’t this some s***?”’

Vanessa was accompanied on stage by basketball great Michael Jordan, who acted as Kobe’s presenter for the enshrinement.

Vanessa described Kobe as ‘intelligent, eloquent and gifted at many things’ but also noted that she knew he would want to ‘thank everyone that helped him get here’, even if it was because they ‘doubted him’ or ‘worked against him’ because these were things that motivated him.

Presenter Michael Jordan was there to lend his support to Vanessa


‘After all,’ she continued, ‘he proved you wrong.’

She also spoke of the importance Kobe placed on family, and she described his ‘most cherished accomplishment’ as being ‘the very best girl dad’.

Kobe was also father to Natalia, 18, Bianka, four, and 22-month-old Capri with Vanessa.

Vanessa with her two youngest daughters, Bianka and Capri


She thanked him for their children, saying: ‘Thank you for our family. Thank you for our daughters. Natalia, Gianna, Bianka, and Capri.

‘Thank you for working so tirelessly to provide for us and for giving us the most amazing life together.

‘Thank you enough to last five times, and every lifetime I choose you.’

She revealed that Kobe had told her to ‘bet on yourself’, and shared her delight over the fact that he had done so.

Vanessa onstage making her speech


‘I’m glad you bet on yourself, you overachiever. You did it.

‘You’re in the hall of fame now. You’re a true champ.

‘You’re not just an MVP. You’re an all-time great.’

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×