Kobe Bryant’s legacy is nothing short of incredible. When we look back, we will see an NBA legend and a pioneer in the world of cinema. He was one of the first to bring the spotlight of Hollywood on basketball. An Oscar winner in 2017, he was finally honored in Tinsel Town.

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In a recently concluded ceremony at the Chinese Theatre, Kobe’s handprints and footprints were enshrined. He is the first athlete to receive this honor. Unfortunately, he wasn’t present and thus his eldest daughter, Natalia Diamante Bryant was called to accept the honor.

She did justice to her dad and expressed how influential he was. Not just to the world but to her world, as the “MVP of girl dads”.

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Natalia Bryant gives a heartfelt speech as she accepts honor on behalf of her dad, Kobe Bryant

“While most people knew him as a basketball player or a storyteller, I got to know and love him as my dad,” Natalia opened her speech with her memory of Bryant. She added, “And let me tell you, he is the MVP of girl dads, to say the least.”. 

Bryant continued, “Being his daughter is one of the greatest joys of my life, and I hope to continue to embody and cherish the many lessons he has taught me,”.

Natalia who is studying film at USC spoke about her dad’s influence and how watching cult classics such as Star Wars, The Goonies, and Harry Potter. She said, “He is the reason I’m pursuing film in college. And he is the reason (the) film has inspired me to create memories like ours, for other people to even bring more fathers and daughters together like us.”. 

Speaking about how her dad was the first athlete to win an Oscar, she said,

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“It is only fitting that my dad, Kobe Bryant, is the very first athlete to get their hand and footprints displayed here. This day symbolizes the impact that he has had on a city that he loved and cared for so deeply. … Now as I’ve gotten older, I continue to see the impact he had on those around him and the inspiration he has brought so many. … Dad, you are an icon, a legend, a storyteller, and most importantly the best girl dad any young woman could dream of.”

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Dear Basketball: Kobe Bryant’s legendary short film that earned him an Oscar

There are very few stories that win you Oscars, especially if it has something to do with sport. But Kobe’s movie was the one that did. Dear Basketball was a movie that marked the culmination of a personal journey.

Taken directly from Bryant’s own poem, it was a movie that showed just how much he loved that sport. For Bryant, it was everything.

And when he won the Oscar, he said that he felt more ecstatic than after winning his 5 NBA titles. Thanks to his dedication in life and his work as a girl dad, his daughters are proud.

Natalia’s heartfelt speech is just a sign of that emotion. While we miss Bryant and so does the world, we hope that his legacy is continued to be honored. There are very few athletes that leave an indelible mark on the world. And none more so than Kobe Bryant.

You can watch Kobe Bryant’s Dear Basketball here:

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