Kobe, Duncan, Garnett headline Basketball Hall of Fame class

Kobe Bryant's resume has yet another entry to validate his greatness: He's now, officially, a Hall of Famer.

And he's got plenty of elite company in the 2020 class, one that may be as glitzy as any.

Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, and fellow NBA greats Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett headlined a nine-person group announced Saturday as this year's class of enshrinees into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

"An amazing class," Duncan said.

They all got into the Hall in their first year as finalists, as did WNBA great Tamika Catchings. Others had to wait a bit longer for the good news: Two-time NBA champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich finally got his call, as did longtime Baylor women's coach Kim Mulkey, 1,000-game winner Barbara Stevens of Bentley and three-time Final Four coach Eddie Sutton.

They were the eight finalists who were announced in February, and the panel of 24 voters who were tasked to decide who merited selection wound up choosing them all.

Also headed to the Hall this year: former FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann, selected as a direct-elect by the international committee.

"He was the head of FIBA and this was a way to honor him," Hall of Fame Chairman and enshrinee Jerry Colangelo said.

"It was a special thing done through that committee."
"But it's definitely the peak of his NBA career and every accomplishment that he had as an athlete was a steppingstone to be here. So we're incredibly proud of him."
"All those hours ... this is what you do it for, right here. To be able to be called 'Hall of Famer' is everything."
"It was an incredible career that I enjoyed so much. To call it a dream come true isn't even doing any justice to it. I never dreamt I'd be at this point."
Added Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, Bryant's former agent: All of us can trust that this Basketball Hall of Fame honor is one Kobe would, and will, deeply appreciate."