Former NBA All-Star Michael Redd credited the late Kobe Bryant for the 2008 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team’s enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Redd’s acknowledgment came on Sept. 8, 2025, shortly after the “Redeem Team” was announced as part of the Hall’s 2025 class.
“He’s no longer here, but we’re all enshrined in Springfield because of him,” Redd wrote on his personal X account, posting a photo of the team.
The Redeem Team was assembled to restore American dominance in international play after the United States settled for bronze at the 2004 Athens Games. Led by Bryant—then fresh off his first NBA Most Valuable Player award and an NBA Finals appearance with the Los Angeles Lakers—the squad included LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and other rising stars.
Bryant embraced the role of tone-setter during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, often guarding the opponent’s top perimeter threat and delivering key baskets, including several in the gold-medal victory over Spain and Lakers teammate Pau Gasol. The United States finished the tournament unbeaten, securing Bryant’s first Olympic gold medal.
James, who was also in the discussion for the title of world’s best player at the time, publicly recognized Bryant as the catalyst behind the team’s success. Redd, used primarily as a reserve shooter, had a firsthand view of Bryant’s influence on and off the court.
The Hall of Fame nod marks Bryant’s second induction; he was previously honored in 2020 for his individual NBA career. The Redeem Team’s collective recognition places each member, including Redd, alongside Bryant in Springfield.
Source: Lakers Nation
