Ever since the tragic passing of NBA superstar and Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, tributes to the late basketball player have expanded beyond the league and spilled into the realm of pop culture. The amount of respect being paid to Bryant is indicative of his impact in sports and elsewhere, as events such as the Grammy Awards and the Super Bowl all paid tribute to Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven other lives that were lost in the tragic helicopter crash. Now we know that Bryant will be honored this weekend at the 92nd Academy Awards, nearly two years after he won an Oscar.
Producer Stephanie Allain confirmed to the press that Bryant would be included in the “In Memoriam” package that’s cut together every year.
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While Bryant is most known for his prolific career on the court, he spent his final years and retirement focused on transitioning into Hollywood. He won an Oscar in 2018 for his basketball-focused short film Dear Basketball, in which he narrates an emotional speech where he bids farewell to the game that changed his life and made him an icon.
Bryant was honored at a Los Angeles Lakers game last week where a powerful tribute debuted, featuring narration from Black Panther actor Michael B. Jordan.
Lakers superfan and Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson spoke out after learning of Bryant’s passing, where he told CBSLA that he was still stunned.
“My reaction is the same as almost all of LA.,” Nicholson told the news. “Where we think everything’s solid, there’s a big hole in the wall. I was used to seeing and talking to Kobe that… it kills you. It’s just a terrible event.“
Nicholson added, “I remember the totality of how great a player he was… We’ll think of him all the time and we’ll miss him.”
