Remembering Dear Basketball

You may not be much a fan of Basketball. Heck, you may not be a fan of any sport but, there is a high chance that you came across the name Kobe Bryant. The basketball legend is one of the few athletes that transcends their sporting bubble and established footprints in all facets of pop culture. Mr Bryant was an icon, a winner, so much so that in 2017 he did what no other athlete had done before him...win an Academy Award. He pulled off this feat without any skills that could be found on any court but, thanks to his animated short film, Dear Basketball.

​The short itself was a beautifully animated and intimate look into the mind of a basketball legend as his 20-year career doing what he loves dearly was coming to end. It was a love letter, both figuratively and literally, to the sport that gave him so much. Not swayed by this narrative? Then the visual presentation will grip you as well, as veteran Disney animator Glen Keane (the films lead animator) experimented with new techniques, like animating sweat to give us all a visual feast for the eyes. 

The Black Mamba sadly passed away yesterday along with 8 others in a helicopter accident and, our condolences go to all that were affected. He may no longer be here with us but, we will always remember his champion spirit as well as, Dear Basketball. 

Death is frightening, inevitable but never the end!

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