Kobe Bryant will be honored at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony after his animated short film ‘Dear Basketball’ picked up an Oscar in 2018
- Kobe Bryant won an Oscar in 2018 for his animated short film Dear Basketball
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has revealed plans to pay special tribute to the late star
- Bryant was killed along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others in a helicopter crash in Southern California on Sunday morning
- Other awards shows, such as the Grammys which took place on the same day as the fatal accident, paid special tribute to Bryant
The organization responsible for the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, has revealed that it is planning to honor late basketball star Kobe Bryant during the 2020 Oscars telecast on February 9, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
While the overwhelming majority of Bryant’s fans remember him for his unparalleled accomplishments on the basketball court, Kobe was also an Oscar-winning producer for his 2017 autobiographical animated short film Dear Basketball, which he also wrote and voiced.
Kobe, 41, was killed in a helicopter crash amid uncharacteristically foggy conditions on Sunday morning in Calabasas, California, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others.
Multi-faceted legend: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has revealed that it is planning to honor late basketball star Kobe Bryant during the 2020 Oscars on February 9
News of his sudden death sent shock waves throughout both the sports and entertainment worlds, with athletes, actors and various institutions alike honoring the Los Angeles Lakers icon via social media.
AMPAS itself paid tribute to Bryant Sunday following the fatal accident, posting a smiling picture of the Oscar winner holding his statuette at the 2018 ceremony.
The touching caption read, ‘They doubted a kid could make it in the NBA and he proved them wrong. They doubted he could win a championship and he proved them wrong. They doubted he could make movies and he won an Oscar. Like all great artists, Kobe Bryant proved the doubters wrong. Rest in peace.’
In Memoriam: AMPAS itself paid tribute to Bryant on Sunday, following the fatal accident
Before his untimely death, Bryant was the producer, writer and host of ESPN+ series Detail, which is an in-depth basketball analysis show examining how the game is played and won.
He had major plans to continue his career in Hollywood.
It is unclear whether the late athlete will simply be included in the ‘In Memoriam’ segment of the Oscars ceremony as a producer among other fallen stars from the past year, or whether he will be remembered separately.
He was a winner: While the overwhelming majority of Bryant’s fans remember him for his unparalleled accomplishments on the basketball court, Kobe was also an Oscar-winning producer; seen here with the director of Dear Basketball, Glen Keane, in 2018
Condolences began pouring in after Bryant’s Sikorsky S-76 crashed in Calabasas just before 10 am on Sunday.
The helicopter struck a hillside and immediately caught fire, killing all those on board. Along with Bryant and his daughter, the other victims included Orange County Coast College coach John Altobelli and his wife, Keri, as well as their 13-year-old daughter, Alyssa; youth basketball coach Christina Mauser; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; and pilot Ara Zobayan.
The crash is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, and reports came in on Tuesday afternoon that all remains of the victims have now been removed from the crash site.
Bryant was one of the major forces of the LA Lakers for two decades, becoming a five-time NBA champion and 18-time All-Star. He was the first NBA player to spend 20 years with one franchise.
Triumphant: Bryant won Oscar gold for his 2017 autobiographical animated short film Dear Basketball, which he also wrote and voiced
Before his untimely death: Bryant was also the producer, writer and host of ESPN+ series Detail, which is an in-depth basketball analysis show examining the game
