(ABC)
On Monday’s “Good Morning America,” former NBA star Kobe Bryant discussed his new animated short film Dear Basketball, life after retiring from the game, and more. Watch the full interview below!
When asked on the morning talk show about his lifelong love of the sport, Bryant noted he “couldn’t put the basketball down” as a child. “When my parents bought me a brand new basketball, I found myself laying in bed and shooting with it,” he said. The former Laker also recalled how he’d “fall asleep” with the ball and then “get up in the morning and play again. I just could not stop.”
After a 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant announce his retirement in November 2015 in the form of a poem titled “Dear Basketball.” That passage has now been turned into a short film by legendary Disney animator Glen Keane, who drew characters for Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and many more Disney classics. “That’s the beauty of creating things is you have the opportunity to work with people that want to create great things,” said Bryant.
Finally, Bryant was asked if he ever misses playing professional basketball, but the former NBA star admitted, “No. I don’t.” He further explained, “I started playing when I was two. And so after playing 20 years in the league, what I have now is everything that I’ve learned from the game, I carry with me to this day. So, the game’s never truly left me.” Bryant added, “There is a finality to it and that’s ok. It’s very hard to let go of something that you’ve done for half your life… but there’s a difference between doing what you do versus understanding that is not who you are.” Watch Bryant’s full “GMA” interview in the video below!
