The Los Angeles Lakers have had a number of superstars who have worn their jersey over the years but arguably none was greater than Kobe Bryant, who spent two decades thrilling fans. His indomitable will and focused approach to the game drew the admiration of fans around the world.
After his playing career ended in 2016, Bryant set out to conquer a new challenge: storytelling. His production company, Granity Studios, has been involved in a number of projects.
Bryant has even stayed close to basketball with his series “Detail” on ESPN+ in which he analyzed a particular player’s game and gives insights into ways that player can improve in certain facets.
Bryant recently appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,” where he was asked about whether or not he would consider stepping in front of the camera and transitioning into acting:
“No. I love creating, I love directing, I love producing. I don’t love acting. I don’t love being in front of the camera. I like trying to figure out if the arc of the story is the right one.”
Bryant also explained a little of how his studio works, and not surprisingly, it’s run with the same laser-focus that he displayed on the basketball court:
“We don’t take pitches. We’re a very focused company. Like, we have our projects that’s laid out five years. We know exactly what we’re releasing from now to five years from now. And when we’re releasing them, how they have a domino effect from books to film to Broadway. We have very specific goals and things we want to accomplish. So we’re very, very focused on those, and all the projects are created in house.”
There was never any doubt that Bryant was going to find something to occupy his time after retirement; he’s too driven to sit at home. Coaching never really appealed to him and he had a creative itch that needed to be scratched.
Bryant’s “Dear Basketball,” an animated short of the poem that announced his retirement, won an Oscar, Emmy and Annie Awards. After ruling the hardwood for two decades, Bryant is well on his way to dominating his next endeavor as well.
And in doing so, he stressed retirement is going just fine and there isn’t any desire to resume playing.
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