Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 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
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×