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There maybe never has been and there may never be again a year like in sports like the one 2020 gave us. Here are 12 photos from this year that highlight how unique and unforgettable the past 12 months have been. Click here for a deeper look at the year in photos .
Staples Center became a meeting place for fans to mourn together and pay their respects to the Los Angeles Lakers legend in the days following the helicopter accident that killed Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others. Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP Photo
The highly anticipated second fight between undefeated heavyweights Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder started with flair (Wilder’s 40-pound walk-out outfit), was filled with knockdowns (four from Fury) and ended with Wilder’s corner throwing in the towel. Al Bello/Getty Images
The NCAA canceled the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments a week before they were to begin. All winter and spring sports seasons, including hockey, baseball and lacrosse, were also nixed. Mike Stobe/Getty Images
Raise your hand if you had WrestleMania as the first American professional sports event back in action after shutdown. Keep it up if you had Rob Gronkowski hosting the event in front of zero fans. WWE, Inc
Tiger Woods and Peyton Manning vs. Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady … come on! This exhibition had fairway hole-outs, drivable par-4s, trash talk and — because it’s 2020 — a pair of split trousers. Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images
Washington Mystics and Wizards players, led by Natasha Cloud and Bradley Beal, marched to protest police brutality and remember the day in 1865 when the last remaining African American slaves were liberated. Michael A. McCoy/Getty Images
Under increasing pressure from corporate sponsors, the football team from Washington, D.C., announced it would retire its nickname. Soon after, the newly minted Washington Football Team revealed a new uniform design for the upcoming season. Alex Brandon/AP Photo
Barcelona fans took to Camp Nou in support of their star striker, Lionel Messi, after he threatened to leave the team if changes weren’t made. Ten days later, Messi changed course and decided to stick with Barca through 2021. Robert Bonet/NurPhoto/Getty Images
On her way to her second US Open win and third overall major championship, Naomi Osaka wore seven masks to seven matches with seven names of people killed because of racial injustice or police brutality. Matthew Stockman/Getty Images
LeBron James became just the fourth player ever to win a title with three different NBA teams when he led the Los Angeles Lakers to their first championship since 2010. Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images
The soccer world suffered a profound loss with the passing of Argentina legend Diego Maradona. He died at the age of 60 at his home on the outskirts of Buenos Aires following a heart attack. Luciano Bisbal/Getty Images
B-boys and B-girls like Carlos Cruz, pictured, rejoiced when the International Olympic Committee announced break dancing officially has been added to the lineup of events for the 2024 Paris Games. Fernando Llano/AP Photo
See more photos from the year in sports here .
