With the popularity of Michael Jordan‘s ‘The Last Dance’ documentary, fans are clamoring for the next great story once those 10 episodes are done.
And while it’s not the final championship in a dynasty, Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers may be able to fill that void.
Bryant was one of those players who kept his private life out of the public eye as much as possible. However, he was very open about his motivation and his life on the court as he was the original creator of the ‘Mamba Mentality’ that defined his career. This was the case even in his final season as Bryant went from cold-blooded killer to celebrated legend.
Bryant reportedly filmed his 20th and final season with the Lakers much like the way Jordan and the 1997-98 Chicago Bulls did, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN:
Bryant’s camera crew, several Lakers staffers from that season said, had unparalleled access in locker rooms both at home and on the road, in the training room, throughout the team’s practice facility and even on the team’s charter plane.
The documentary had already been in the editing stages with Bryant overseeing the process prior to his death:
Sources close to the matter told ESPN that the footage had been in the editing stages for a potential documentary to be released years from now — though it is unclear when exactly that would be — and that Bryant had seen edited material and provided feedback in the months leading up to his death. It is unlikely those plans have changed, the sources said.
While Bryant will no longer be around to oversee the process, perhaps Vanessa Bryant and some members of the Lakers in the 2015-16 NBA season will help out.
If this documentary does end up being released sometime in the future, it will be a highly anticipated one. Bryant’s last season was one of the most unique seasons of all time.
Despite being one of the league’s worst teams, Bryant would be honored everywhere they went with gifts and standing ovations. It was the first time in his career he was admired instead of feared.
While it may be sad to see a Bryant documentary given the circumstances, having him in homes again for a few nights could help as fans remember one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
