Michael Jordan will present for Kobe Bryant at Hall of Fame induction

Michael Jordan will present on behalf of Kobe Bryant for his posthumous induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Bryant will be one of three inductees for the 2020 class, as longtime rivals and fellow greats Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan will also be inducted during the ceremony on May 15. It is considered one of the greatest Hall of Fame classes in history, as all three are considered generational talents who had legendary careers.

The Hall of Fame announced that Jordan will present for Bryant, while David Robinson will present for Duncan and Isiah Thomas will present for Garnett. 

Jordan and Bryant shared a special bond.  modeled his game after Jordan and worked tirelessly to be as relentless of a force on the court as Jordan was. They shared a mutual admiration, as Jordan has often praised Bryant's relentless work ethic. 

At Bryant's memorial service, Jordan opened up about the closeness of their relationship, referring to Bryant as a "little brother."

"Kobe was my dear friend; he was like a little brother," Jordan said. "When Kobe died, a little piece of me died. ...This kid had passion like you would never know. As I got to know him, I wanted to be the best big brother that I could be."