While he’s two seasons removed from last playing in the NBA, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant hasn’t completely faded from the spotlight. Retirement has treated the five-time champion well, as he’s added to his collection of hardware off the court.
Bryant won an Oscar Award for his animated short film “Dear Basketball,” which was based off the poem he penned to officially announce his retirement plans, and more recently he took home a Sports Emmy Award for the same work.
In the days after winning an Oscar, Bryant appeared on the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” late night talk show. He was presented with miniature Lakers jersey, one each in No. 8 and No. 24, to put on his trophy.
Bryant returned to the show that aired following Game 1 of the 2018 NBA Finals, joining Ben Simmons, Rachel Nichols and others in reading negative tweets about them.
But rather than simply read the criticism aimed at him, Bryant defied it by singing Seal’s “Kiss By A Rose.”
All NEW @NBA edition of #MeanTweets with @JalenRose @Real_T_Mac @Money23Green @BenSimmons25 @GRIII @JimmyButler @SwipaTheFox @AndreDrummond @StephenASmith @Rachel__Nichols @ScottiePippen @KevinLove #CharlesBarkley & @KobeBryant #Kimmel #GameNight #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/1QbmSw068L
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) June 1, 2018
While Bryant has been a semi-frequent guest on talk shows, he’s also used those opportunities to do good. He surprised Notre Dame women’s basketball star Arike Ogunbowale on “Ellen,” and appeared on “The View” to show his support for a young fan who is battling epilepsy.
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