There's A Reason Natalie Bryant Missed Kobe's Induction To The Hall Of Fame

Kobe Bryant will be missed for generations. The legendary basketball player, his daughter, and seven other passengers lost their lives in January 2020 due to a helicopter crash and left a massive hole in the hearts of the people who loved them the most. Losing someone is always traumatic, but this is usually even harder when it’s a beloved star.

Losing his life meant the Black Mamba wasn’t there to accept his place in the Hall of Fame. Amazingly, there’s a reason Natalie Bryant missed Kobe’s induction to the Hall of Fame, too, especially as many believed his daughter would want to be there for the special moment.

Kobe Bryant wasn’t a fan of accepting awards

For years, Kobe Bryant did nothing but break records and make a huge name for himself on the court. He was the envy of many and the idol of others. It became a familiar sound to hear crowds chanting Black Mamba at his games as Kobe knew how to play up to the masses and put on a good show, but it turns out that he was never interested in collecting awards. It seemed the basketball star would much rather perform for a crowd than be the only one with all eyes on him in the room. That didn’t mean that he never went near the ceremonies; Kobe just didn’t like to make a big deal of it all. Unfortunately, losing his life meant that Kobe never got to know what it felt like to stand as a part of the Hall of Fame.

Vanessa Bryant gave a heartfelt speech

Not being around meant that Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s wife he left behind, had to step in and give a speech on her late husband’s behalf. Here, she spoke about how Kobe would always push himself through injuries as he felt he had a duty to his fans and often talked about how someone should believe in themselves before anyone else. It seemed that everyone was there as Vanessa tried to bring Kobe’s memory alive for the big night. However, one notable person was missing from the crowd: the couple’s eldest daughter, Natalie Bryant.

Natalie Bryant had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

It turns out there was a very good reason that Natalie Bryant was missing from the Hall of Fame ceremony: it was her prom. Apparently, this wasn’t the first time someone had missed their big dance, thanks to Kobe Bryant, as Vanessa missed hers when the couple first started dating. Vanessa allegedly told her daughter that it was typical that her dad would try to make her miss hers too, but she had to go. Instead, Natalie flew to collect her dad’s Hall of Fame jacket before returning to Los Angeles for the prom. She might not have got to see the big night, but Natalie will forever get to hold onto the memory that her dad is and always will be one of the greatest basketball players the world has ever seen.

Kobe Bryant has always been one of the biggest names in basketball, mainly thanks to his on-court antics and incredible talents. However, there was a reason Natalie Bryant missed Kobe’s induction to the Hall of Fame - and it wasn’t because she didn’t want to be there for her dad. In fact, going to prom was probably just what he would want to see.