As part of the annual tradition of NBA All-Star Weekend, in which the game is celebrated throughout the weekend, the James Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced its 2020 class of finalists, of which a select few will be inducted into the hall in Springfield, Massachusetts, later this year. This year, like much of the activities, will be at this particular All-Star Weekend, is bittersweet.
The 2020 class of finalists is led by the late Kobe Bryant, who was inducted a year earlier than usual due to his tragic death as well as that of his daughter and seven others in a helicopter crash. Bryant joins his former rivals, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan, as well as his one-time coach Rudy Tomjanovich and WNBA legend Tamika Catchings. Former Oklahoma State head coach Eddie Sutton, Baylor women’s head coach Kim Mulkey and longtime Division II women’s coach Barbar Stevens are also finalists.
LeBron’s former Miami Heat teammate Chris Bosh was the most notable omission from the list of finalists.
The inductees are expected to be announced on April 4.
