Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsPrimetime EmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalFall TV GuideMost Anticipated This MonthSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayTrending peopleCelebrity news
    IMDb LabsHelp centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
    Some content may be auto-translated
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Dear Basketball

  • 2017
  • Not Rated
  • 6m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
6.5K
YOUR RATING
Dear Basketball (2017)
Basketball great Kobe Bryant, along with animator Glen Keane and composer John Williams, narrates the story of one little boy living out his basketball dream. The hand-drawn animated film is an adaptation of the NBA legend's 2015 farewell letter to the game he loves.
Play trailer1:01
1 Video
12 Photos
AnimationBiographyShortSport

An animated telling of Kobe Bryant's poem 'Dear Basketball'.An animated telling of Kobe Bryant's poem 'Dear Basketball'.An animated telling of Kobe Bryant's poem 'Dear Basketball'.

  • Director
    • Glen Keane
  • Stars
    • Kobe Bryant
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    6.5K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Glen Keane
    • Stars
      • Kobe Bryant
    • 24User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 7 wins & 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:01
    Official Trailer

    Photos12

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 7
    View Poster

    Cast1

    Kobe Bryant
    Kobe Bryant
    • Self
    • (voice)
    • Director
      • Glen Keane
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews24

    7.46.4K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    More like this

    The Lost Thing
    7.3
    The Lost Thing
    Kobe Bryant's Muse
    7.8
    Kobe Bryant's Muse
    Garden Party
    7.3
    Garden Party
    Kobe: The Making of a Legend
    6.5
    Kobe: The Making of a Legend
    Negative Space
    7.4
    Negative Space
    Fresh Guacamole
    7.4
    Fresh Guacamole
    Pearl
    6.9
    Pearl
    Balance
    7.9
    Balance
    A Greek Tragedy
    5.3
    A Greek Tragedy
    Prologue
    6.5
    Prologue
    Dear Basketball: The Legend of Kobe Bryant
    8.3
    Dear Basketball: The Legend of Kobe Bryant
    Afterlife
    6.8
    Afterlife

    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)
    Biography
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short
    Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill in Moneyball (2011)
    Sport

    Storyline

    Did you know

    • Trivia
      With his 2018 Oscar win, Kobe Bryant became the first African American to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
    • Quotes
      • Kobe Bryant: Dear Basketball, from the moment I started rolling my dad's tube socks and shooting imaginary game-winning shots In the Great Western Forum, I knew one thing was real: I fell in love with you. A love so deep I gave you my all - from my mind & body to my spirit & soul. As a six-year-old boy, deeply in love with you, I never saw the end of the tunnel. I only saw myself running out of one. And so I ran. I ran up and down every court. After every loose ball for you. You asked for my hustle. I gave you my heart. Because it came with so much more. I played through the sweat and hurt. Not because challenge called me. But because YOU called me. I did everything for YOU. Because that's what you do. When someone makes you feel as alive as you've made me feel. You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream. And I'll always love you for it. But I can't love you obsessively for much longer. This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding. My mind can handle the grind. But my body knows it's time to say goodbye. And that's OK. I'm ready to let you go. I want you to know now. So we both can savor every moment we have left together. The good and the bad. We have given each other all that we have. And we both know, no matter what I do next, I'll always be that kid with the rolled up socks. Garbage can in the corner. :05 seconds on the clock. Ball in my hands. 5... 4... 3... 2... 1. Love you always, Kobe
    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Kobe Bryant/Kathryn Hahn/Big Boi (2017)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    • Release date
      • April 23, 2017 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Дорогий баскетбол
    • Production companies
      • Believe Entertainment Group
      • Glen Keane Productions
      • Verizon Communications
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    • Runtime
      • 6m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1 / (high definition)

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    You have no recently viewed pages
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2026 by IMDb.com, Inc.