Late Lakers icon Kobe Bryant was enshrined into Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame during an elaborate ceremony at the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Uncasville, Conn., on May 15th and since his death Bryant widow Vanessa Bryant has been the center of heartfelt attention.
During an emotional riveting speech Vanessa said; “He didn’t really talk about upcoming awards, but he did mention this one a week before he and Gigi passed. My husband and I were sitting at our kitchen island, and he and I had a conversation about my mother- and father-in-law attending tonight’s enshrinement.”
She went on to add; “I invited my mother- and father-in-law in this enshrinement to thank them for bringing one of the most amazing human beings into this world. Pam and Joe, thank you for raising Kobe to be exceptional. Thank you to all of Kobe’s family. Sharia, you’ve gone above and beyond. I love you.”
It was wonderful gesture to Kobe’s parents who have been mere footnotes in the legacy of their only son since he died, but the irony is Joe and Pam were not at the ceremony and according to a source were not invited.
They could have come if they were willing to pay for their own flight, hotel and ticket to the ceremony, according to the source who spoke with Joe following the event and only spoke to Inglewood Today on the condition their name not be mentioned.
The source went on to add that Kobe’s parents who are most responsible for his being and basketball journey, but Vanessa is doing exactly what Kobe didn’t want her to be which is in the public sphere.
Kobe was extremely private and protective of Vanessa and their daughters whom he loved more than anything.
Joe and Pam would desire a relationship with their grandchildren which has been denied by Vanessa, according to the source.
The source indicated that as time advances beyond the honeymoon of the public’s love affair with Vanessa that some ugly truths will be revealed. The so stated the true orchestrater of Kobe’s post life odyssey is Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka, who was a dear friend to the late star.
