Over the history of film, we have seen a good number of basketball movies and basketball stars in movies. But Kobe Bryant may have just come closest to bringing home an Oscar than any of his predecessors in the film industry.
Bryant, along with Glen Keane, received an Oscar nomination for his short film, Dear Basketball. The animated telling of Bryant’s poem by the same name was one of five animated short films to receive a nomination in the Animated Short category Tuesday morning.
Kobe Bryant nominated for #Oscars2018 in Animated Short movies!
Is there anything Black Mamba can’t do? pic.twitter.com/wUwGGP7Dol— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) January 23, 2018
What?? This is beyond the realm of imagination. It means so much that the @TheAcademy deemed #DearBasketball worthy of contention. Thanks to the genius of @GlenKeanePrd & John Williams for taking my poem to this level. It's an honor to be on this team. #OscarNoms pic.twitter.com/M2joyk9D1V
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) January 23, 2018
“Academy Award-nominated producer Kobe Bryant” is a phrase we now have to say forever.
— Kim Bhasin (@KimBhasin) January 23, 2018
Bryant’s poem is a letter to the sport of basketball, in which the future hall of famer recalls his earliest memories of falling in love with the sport and shares his appreciation for everything basketball has given to Bryant over the years, form his young childhood days to his championship-caliber career. The animation style brings Bryant’s story and career to life with a series of pencil-like sketchings that paint the imagery of the poem as Bryant concludes he is ready to move on from the sport but still has a deep appreciation for the sport that made him who he is. The animated short was shown at Bryant’s dual-uniform number retirement at a recent Lakers home game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ln6uKjedzj4
Of course, now that Kobe has an Oscar nomination, we have one more piece of ammunition for those who want to debate Kobe is the greatest of all time in the sport.
Great. Now we get to hear all the Kobe fans asking how many Oscars nominations Jordan and LeBron have. https://t.co/CHyKsUk94z
— Rush the Court (@rushthecourt) January 23, 2018
Look, Space Jam may be a cult favorite to this day, but it didn’t receive any Oscar nominations. And LeBron James in Trainwreck was mildly amusing but ultimately not the most memorable award-winning performance. So, for those who consider this a victory for Kobe in that debate, have at it!
