Kobe Bryant will be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The five-time NBA champion died in a helicopter crash in January alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianni and seven others.
Bryant retired from the NBA in 2016 after a career that saw him win NBA MVP in 2008, named Finals MVP twice and earn 18 All-Star selections.
"It's definitely the peak of his NBA career, and every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a steppingstone to be here," Bryant's wife, Vanessa, told ESPN in a video interview.
A statement on the hall of fame's Twitter account read: "He was one of the greatest competitors who stepped on the court and made sure his impact was felt on both sides of the ball. He is ranked 4th on the NBA's career points list (33,643). We congratulate posthumously 5x NBA Champion Kobe Bryant."
Tim Duncan, a five-time NBA champion with the San Antonio Spurs, and Kevin Garnett, who helped the Boston Celtics win the championship in 2008, were also among the class of 2020.
The induction will take place August 30 (NZ time) in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Reuters
