Dear Basketball 2017

On the eve of his retirement from the NBA, Kobe Bryant shares a heartfelt meditation on a lifelong love affair with basketball, a devotion that began in childhood. The short film opens with a dramatic last-second dunk that seals a Lakers win, signaling the start of a reflective, intimate journey through memory and meaning.

He introduces the idea of “Dear Basketball” and revisits the tea-chest memories of a kid who rolled his father’s tube socks and imagined game-winning shots in the Great Western Forum. The narration weaves a portrait of an athlete who has pulled every ounce of himself—his mind, body, spirit, and soul—into the pursuit of the game.

Dear Basketball

I never saw the end of the tunnel / I only saw myself running out of one

The storyteller then carries us through the adolescence that built the discipline and drive, describing a relentless hustle: “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.” The message is clear: the quest was not sparked solely by challenge, but by a personal call from the sport itself: “I played for the sweat and the hurt / Not because challenge called me / But because YOU called me.”

As time moves forward, the film addresses a turning point—the Achilles heel injury in 2013—and the realization that there is only so much time left to devote to basketball. With a heavy heart, the narrator accepts that there is one final season to honor the craft he loves:

My heart can take the pounding / My mind can handle the grind / But my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.

The sentiment deepens into a vow to make the most of the time remaining, acknowledging that the two—player and sport—have given one another everything they have:

We have given each other / All that we have.

In the closing moments, the voice reflects on a lifelong identity: no matter what comes next, the kid who once wore rolled-up socks and imagined a five-second shot still lives in the heart of the game. The famous refrain is echoed with a final, personal pledge to basketball, underscoring a bond that extends beyond retirement:

no matter what I do next / I’ll always be that kid / With the rolled up socks / Garbage can in the corner / Five seconds on the clock / Ball in my hands

The film culminates with a quiet, enduring farewell: “Love you always, Kobe.” The narration is complemented by the presence of Mike Breen as the commentator voice, providing a familiar cadence to this intimate farewell.