Kobe Bryant Headlines 2020 Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists

The Basketball Hall of Fame has announced their list of eight finalists, which will later need 18 of 24 votes from their respective committees to be enshrined in Springfield.

Recently-deceased Kobe Bryant headlines the potential class, with the likes of Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett also featured prominently in front of the bunch.

Bryant, Duncan and Garnett are shoe-ins from the men's point of view, while Tamika Catchings highlights the WNBA's finest. Catchings was a four-time Olympic gold medalist and WNBA champion, paired with some very impressive personal accolades as well.

Kobe, meanwhile, will be honored posthumously at the forefront of this class upon the announcement of those among the finalists who made the cut for enshrinement.

The helicopter accident which took Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others has stuck with us weeks later, as we remain in a state of disbelief. While Kobe's looming induction won't heal a nation, it does provide us an opportunity to celebrate his accomplishments on the basketball court.

We have to start somewhere.