CHICAGO _ This summer was to be a celebration of three of the best players in NBA history, three champions who played against each other, who shared an era and fought for prominence. Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant.
But this year's Hall of Fame finalist announcement necessitated a more somber tone. It opened with acknowledgment of the people the league had lost this season _ particularly Bryant and former commissioner David Stern.
When Bryant's name was announced, the Hall of Famers sitting on the stage behind the host bowed their heads or looked down.
"We sure wish he were here today, Kobe Bryant," Matt Winer said as he announced the inevitable.
This year's class also included 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings, Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey, who won NCAA championships as a player, assistant and head coach, former Lakers coach Rudy Tomjanovich, who won two championships with the Houston Rockets, former NCAA Division II coach Barbara Stevens and former Oklahoma State coach Eddie Sutton.
Bryant's former teammate Gary Payton was among the Hall of Famers in attendance. Although most players do not attend the announcement of their class, Garnett sat in the first row in the room, next to Raptors superfan Nav Bhatia, who was acknowledged at the start of the news conference. When his name was announced, Garnett stood to acknowledge the audience then nearly stumbled as he sat down.
