The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has announced that it is planning to honor late basketball legend Kobe Bryant during the 2020 Oscars on February 9, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.
While most of Bryant’s fans honor him for his unparalleled achievements on the basketball court, Kobe was also a producer who received an Oscar for his 2017 autobiographical animated short film Dear Basketball, which he wrote and voiced.
The 41-year old Kobe Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others amid foggy conditions on Sunday morning in Calabasas, California.
Reports of his sudden demise sent shock waves in both the sports and entertainment industry, with athletes, actors and various institutions honoring the Los Angeles Lakers star via social media.
AMPAS also posted a tribute to Bryant Sunday following the tragic accident, sharing a smiling photo of the Oscar winner raising his statuette at the 2018 Oscars ceremony.
The heartwarming 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.’
Bryant works as the producer, writer, and host of ESPN+ series Detail before his sudden passing. The show is a thorough basketball analysis that looks into how the game is played and won. Reports said he also had major plans to continue his career in Hollywood.
It is still unclear whether the athlete will simply be a part of the ‘In Memoriam’ segment of the Academy Awards, as a producer together with other fallen stars from the last years, or whether he will be honored separately.
Several condolences began coming in after Bryant’s Sikorsky S-76 crashed in Calabasas before 10 in the morning on Sunday.
The helicopter struck a hillside and immediately blaze into the fire, taking the lives of those on board. The passengers along with Bryant and his daughter included Orange County Coast College coach John Altobelli and his wife, Keri, and their 13-year-old daughter, Alyssa; youth basketball coach Christina Mauser; Sarah Chester and her daughter, Payton; and pilot Ara Zobayan.
The helicopter crash is now under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, and authorities stated on Tuesday afternoon that all remains of the victims have now been moved from the crash site.
Kobe Bryant was one of the major players of the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years, a five-time NBA champion, and an 18-time All-Star. He was the first NBA star to spend 20 years with one franchise.
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