Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Postponed to 2021 Amid COVID-19 Concerns

As if the coronavirus hasn’t already ruined enough of our lives, now comes the news that another sports-related event has been postponed until 2021.

From ESPN:

Jerry Colangelo, the chairman of the board of governors for the Hall, told ESPN on Wednesday that enshrinement ceremonies for the Class of 2020 — one of the most star-studded lineups ever, including Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant — will be moved to spring 2021.

Colangelo said the original dates of enshrinement weekend, Aug. 28-30, and the proposed alternate dates, Oct. 10-12, are “just not feasible” in light of the pandemic that has killed more than 100,000 people in the U.S. and has rendered large gatherings taboo. The board of governors will convene on June 10, he said, to explore spring dates.

Being enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is something NBA players wait their entire lives for, but this is obviously the best move in order to ensure the safety of everyone in attendance.

“We’re definitely canceling,” Colangelo told ESPN. “It’s going to have to be the first quarter of next year. We’ll meet in a couple of weeks and look at the options of how and when and where.”

The 2020 class is no joke and boasts one of the most talented lineups in the history of ever. Just look at this list, courtesy of NBA.com.

The Class of 2020 includes: 18-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA champion Kobe Bryant, 15-time NBA All-Star and three-time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan, 15-time NBA All-Star and nine-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection Kevin Garnett, four-time National Coach of the Year Eddie Sutton, two-time NBA Champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich, 10-time WNBA All-Star and four-time Olympic gold medalist Tamika Catchings, three-time NCAA National Championship Coach of Baylor Kim Mulkey, five-time Division II National Coach of the Year Barbara Stevens and longtime FIBA executive Patrick Baumann.

I hate that Kobe isn’t alive to receive his due, but I look forward to catching this in the spring.