Explained: Inside the life of Kobe Bryant

The book, Kobe Bryant: An Extraordinary Life, contains various accounts that describe Bryant as a “competitor” and “a mesmerising athlete, a ruthless tactician, a savvy marketer, a stubborn iconoclast, a tireless polymath, a devoted father, a consummate professional”.

It is a compilation of writings on Bryant’s life and consists of his photographs, a testimonial section and an essay written by American sportswriter Jackie MacMullan among sections contributed by ESPN writers and analysts.

In her essay, MacMullan writes, “ ‘I could never understand’, Bryant once told me, ‘why winning wasn’t the most important thing to everyone’.” She adds, “From the time he was an 8-year-old competing against players three years older than he was, Bryant wasn’t satisfied with winning — he was gunning for total domination.”

Kobe Bryant: An Extraordinary Life

Sarah Spain, an ESPN columnist has written about Bryant’s contribution to women’s sports in the book, “I have no doubt that Bryant’s investment in women’s sports, from women’s soccer and surfing to the WNBA and college hoops, inspired other sports fans to watch and support female athletes.”

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Bryant himself wrote a book, The Mamba Mentality: How I Play, which was published in 2018. In 2018 he won an Oscar for his animated short film titled Dear Basketball.