Kobe Bryant Denied Admission to Oscar Academy Despite Winning Award

Despite winning an Oscar, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was denied membership into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this week.

Winning an Oscar automatically allows someone to be considered for entry into the Academy; however, a spot is not guaranteed.

Bryant won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film this year as the executive producer of Dear Basketball.

Dear Basketball was based on a letter Bryant wrote for the Players' Tribune upon deciding to retire from the NBA following the 2015-16 season.

Per Josh Rottenberg of the Los Angeles Times, there may have been multiple reasons for the Academy denying Bryant.

One is the fact that he lacks a large body of work.

According to TMZ Sports, one piece of criteria board voters look for in a producer is that they "have the equivalent of two producer screen credits and perform the majority of the functions of a producer on theatrical feature films of the caliber which in the opinion of the executive committee reflect the high standards of the Academy."

Rottenberg also noted that there was a petition leading up to the Oscars that Bryant have his nomination rescinded because of a sexual assault allegation made against him in 2003. The charges were eventually dropped.

While Bryant may not yet be part of the Academy, he is a lock to be named a Basketball Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible in 2019.