While Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was the headliner for Saturday’s Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony, there were other former Lakers sharing the honor. One of them was short-time Lakers coach and lifelong Houston Rockets legend Rudy Tomjanovich.
During his induction speech, Tomjanovich spoke at length about his time with the Rockets and Lakers, essentially listing each of the players that he had the honor of coaching and how they impacted him. He spoke about Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and some others at length, but perhaps one of the longest sections of his speech was devoted to Robert Horry.
Horry was in Houston with Tomjanovich when they won back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995 before going to the Lakers and winning three more between 2000 and 2002. He brought his championship total to seven with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and 2007.
The reason Tomjanovich spent so much time talking about Horry was specifically to advocate for him making the Hall of Fame, giving him a passionate endorsement, via the Lakers’ official Twitter:
You heard Rudy T.
Big Shot Rob for Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/dCnHSKIMnf
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 15, 2021
Horry has been eligible for induction into the Hall of Fame since 2013 but has yet to be selected. The argument against him is that his numbers were never great and that he was never the best player on any of his championship teams.
However, winning seven championships is not luck, regardless of where he ranked on those teams. In fact, several of those titles would not have been won if not for a clutch play or shot by Horry. One of the biggest shots in Lakers history belongs to Horry.
Eventually, Horry should be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Tomjanovich endorsing it to a roaring applause from the audience only increases the likelihood, as it’s clear there is popular support for his addition. The 2021 Hall of Fame class, which was announced Sunday, did not include Horry.
Vanessa Bryant gives Hall of Fame speech honoring Kobe
In what was yet another incredible display of strength from Vanessa Bryant, she delivered a powerful speech on behalf of her husband, Kobe Bryant, who was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame on Saturday. She not only spoke about his on-court accomplishments, but she also took time to thank him for the ways in which he was great off the court.
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