NBA great Kobe Bryant to be inducted into Hall of Fame

Kobe Bryant is to be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Los Angeles Lakers legend was tragically died in a helicopter crash in January, with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna among eight other people also killed.

Bryant, who retired in 2016, won the NBA Championships five times during a glittering career that also saw him pick up the league’s MVP award in 2008, two Finals MVP gongs and 18 All-Star selections. He ranks fourth on the league all-time points scoring charts and also won Olympic gold for the USA twice, at the 2008 Games in Beijing and in London in 2012.

Bryant’s widow, Vanessa told ESPN: "It's an incredible accomplishment and honor and we're extremely proud of him.

“Obviously, we wish that he was here with us to celebrate. 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."

Fellow five-time champion Tim Duncan and 15-time All-Star Kevin Garnett were among the other former players chosen for this year’s class.