First-time Oscar winner. Five-time NBA champion. Kobe Bryant apparently does it all. After an animated short was made of his Players Tribune retirement letter, "Dear Basketball," Bryant received an Oscar on Sunday night for the work that he and Glen Keane Productions did to put it together.
Nominated shorts can sometimes be hard to find, but Bryant has made his readily accessible. You can see the six-minute video below:
Bryant's animated short went up against "Lou," "Garden Party," "Negative Space" and "Revolting Rhymes." The 90th Academy Awards hosted by Jimmy Kimmel took place Sunday.
After his win, all that people could ask was: How many Oscars do some of the other NBA greats have?
"Yeah LeBron is good. But he could have NEVER won an Oscar on his first try!!!" Someone screaming about sports on your TV tomorrow, probably.
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) March 5, 2018
Something else LeBron can't do
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) March 5, 2018
In Kobe Bryant’s head he’s just thinking: “I’VE GOT MORE OSCARS THAN JORDAN!!!”
— Josh Gondelman (@joshgondelman) March 5, 2018
How many Oscars Shaq got though?
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) March 5, 2018
Shaq himself took notice of the win. His prolific film career includes "Kazaam" -- one of the great snubs of our time -- and the upcoming "Uncle Drew" movie. Because Shaq refuses to turn to Oscar-bait, it's unlikely we'll see nominations for the latter. However, O'Neal congratulated Kobe afterwards.
Congrats to KOBE first Oscar that’s big bro #dearbasketball. Proud of you, Big honor for you and your family. I’m jealous lol
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) March 5, 2018
Not everyone was thrilled with the win, however. Kobe's Oscar raised some eyebrows amid the #MeToo and #timesup movements. Bryant was accused of sexual assault by a 19-year-old hotel employee when he was 24, but the charges were dropped when the alleged victim wouldn't testify. Once the charges were dropped, a civil suit was filed and the case was settled out of court two years later.
Give it up for Gary Oldman and Kobe Bryant, for proving that men with domestic violence or sexual assault accusations can still accomplish anything. #Oscars
— Jena Friedman (@JenaFriedman) March 5, 2018
In the same year as #MeToo& #TimesUp:
— Krystie Lee Yandoli (@KrystieLYandoli) March 5, 2018
-Sam Rockwell won an Oscar for Three Billboards & didn't mention violence against women
-Gary Oldman & Kobe Bryant won Oscars
-Reporters in press room were asked to keep questions about Oscars only
-Ryan Seacrest hosted the red carpet
Kobe Bryant was accused of brutally raping a young woman. Unlike most of the men accused in Hollywood, he was actually arrested and charged.
— David Hookstead (@dhookstead) March 5, 2018
Last night, Bryant was honored and celebrated at the #Oscars. Why is the #MeToo movement silent? https://t.co/aK9XgOu0CN
I think Kobe Bryant is an amazing basketball player. I also think he raped that girl and got away with it because he’s an amazing basketball player.
— Brenda Tracy (@brendatracy24) March 5, 2018
Both things can exist as the truth.
"Although I truly believe this encounter between us was consensual, I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did," Bryant said in a statement after the charges were dropped, via EW. "After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney, and even her testimony in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter."