Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Committee Is Still Planning for an August 29th Ceremony to Honor Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett

While the event has not yet been postponed, there are alternate dates ready

With so many events on the sports calendar already postponed and canceled, the 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony is still penciled in for its August 29th date. While the event has not yet been postponed, the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame Committee does have alternate dates ready to go. This year's ceremony will honor Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett while also paying tribute to Kobe Bryant who was killed in a helicopter cash earlier this year.

Video Transcript:  

The Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame committee is still planning for an August 29 ceremony, though there are alternate dates and a potential venue change in consideration amidst the COVID-19 caused the pandemic that has postponed or canceled hundreds of events worldwide.

The ceremony, which will include the induction of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and Kevin Garnett, is still scheduled for Aug. 29 in Springfield, but there are two other potential dates, Oct. 9-11, or in the spring of 2021.

The Hall has also decided on several changes to make the ceremony safe and comfortable whenever it does occur. This includes moving the ceremony from Symphony Hall, which has housed the event since 2009, to the MassMutual Center, which has over four times the capacity, allowing patrons more room for social distancing.

As Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker guides the state through it's reopening process, the Hall of Fame will wait until it’s clear that an August ceremony could actually be feasible before making a decision.