Kobe Bryant made a grand farewell last month, dropping 60 points in his final game en route to a memorable retirement. However, it looks like the Black Mamba isn’t quite ready to step away from the game completely. According to a report from Variety, he signed a deal with Sports Illustrated to create a short animated film based on his poem, “Dear Basketball.”
The poem originally debuted on “The Players’ Tribune,” a sports blog for athletes to have their voices heard in a media industry dominated by spectators. Bryant is set to narrate the short film, which will be directed by Glen Keane, an animator who worked on classic Disney films like “Aladdin,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast.” John Williams, the composer behind classic film scores like “Star Wars,” “Indiana Jones,” “Jurassic Park,” and the “Harry Potter” series, will create the music for the short film. Few people besides Kobe would be able to put together such a talented roster of individuals.
“Working with Sports Illustrated on this special project is an amazing opportunity to hopefully inspire fans all over the world,” Kobe said of the collaboration. It will be his first public venture since retiring. The short film will be accompanied by articles and interviews with Kobe and other key players in Kobe’s career. It’s set to release in the fall of 2016.
[via Variety]