Kobe Bryant, John Williams Perform 'Dear Basketball' Animated Short
Kobe Bryant can add an appearance with John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl to his resume.
On Saturday, Alysha Tsuji of USA Today reported the former Los Angeles Lakers star read his "Dear Basketball" poem onstage as Williams conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and an animation of the poem played on a screen.
Bryant wrote the poem on The Players' Tribune to announce his retirement from the NBA during the 2015-16 season.
According to Todd Harmonson of the Orange County Register, Bryant had previously reached out to Williams and told the composer he wanted to meet. The NBA legend wanted to discuss the creative process and Harry Potter music—which his daughters love.
Bryant expressed his gratitude on Twitter after the pair shared the famed stage:
Bryant and Williams are two of the greatest ever in their respective fields. Bryant was a five-time NBA champion, the 2007-08 league MVP and an 18-time All-Star, while Williams was largely responsible for some of the most famous music in cinema history, which appeared in such movies as Jaws, Jurassic Park, E.T. the Extra-Terrestial and the Star Wars franchise.
