
Kobe Bryant's Oscar-winning short film 'Dear Basketball' is available to watch online for free on Vimeo and dearbasketball.com. The film was previously available on Verizon's go90 platform, but the platform was later cancelled. Some bootleg copies have shown up on YouTube and Dailymotion, but these are in violation of copyright laws. The film is not available on Hulu.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Availability on Hulu | No |
| Availability on other platforms | Available on Vimeo and dearbasketball.com |
| Genre | Animated short film |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, Oscar for Best Animated Short |
| Duration | 5 minutes and 22 seconds |
| Creator | Kobe Bryant |
| Narrated by | Kobe Bryant |
| Directed and Animated by | Glen Keane |
| Music | John Williams |
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What You'll Learn

Where to watch Dear Basketball
Kobe Bryant's Oscar-winning short film Dear Basketball was previously available on Verizon's go90 platform, but the platform was later cancelled. Since then, bootleg copies have appeared on YouTube and Dailymotion, but these violate copyright laws.
Following Bryant's death in 2020, his studio made Dear Basketball available for free on the dearbasketball.com website and on Vimeo. The film is also available to rent on Amazon, YouTube, and Google Play.
In addition, there is a 2015 documentary called Kobe Bryant's Muse, which is now available to watch on Hulu, Sling TV, and On Demand. This documentary includes footage of Kobe Bryant's childhood and covers the injuries that affected his NBA career.
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The story of Dear Basketball
On November 29, 2015, NBA legend Kobe Bryant published a poem titled "Dear Basketball" in the Players' Tribune to announce his retirement from basketball at the end of that season. The poem was an ode to the sport, describing his love for the game since childhood.
In the poem, Bryant reminisces about his childhood, rolling his father's tube socks and shooting imaginary game-winning shots. He describes how his love for basketball inspired him to give his all—from his "mind, body, spirit, and soul". He explains that as a six-year-old boy, he never saw an end to his passion for the game and always chose to play as well as he could. Bryant also talks about the sacrifices he made for basketball and how he played through sweat and hurt because of his love for the sport.
The poem continues with Bryant accepting that it is time to let go of his first true passion due to his body no longer being able to handle the grind, despite his heart and mind still being willing. He ends the poem by expressing his eternal love for the sport, stating that no matter what he does next, he will always be that kid with the rolled-up socks and a basketball in his hands.
Following the publication of the poem, Bryant adapted it into a short animated film, also titled "Dear Basketball," which was released in 2017. The film was directed and animated by Glen Keane, with music by John Williams and narration by Bryant himself. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018, making it the first Oscar win for a professional athlete and veteran Disney animator Glen Keane.
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Awards won by Dear Basketball
Kobe Bryant's "Dear Basketball" is an animated short film that has won several awards. The film is based on a poem Bryant wrote in 2015 to announce his retirement from basketball.
At the 90th Academy Awards in 2018, "Dear Basketball" won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film. This was the first Oscar win for veteran Disney animator Glen Keane, who directed and animated the film, as well as the first Oscar win for any professional athlete.
In addition to the Oscar, "Dear Basketball" also won the Best Traditional Animation and Special Jury Award at the 2017 World Animation Celebration International Film Festival held at Sony Pictures Animation. The film was included in the The Animation Showcase world tour screening in 2018 and was a nominee for a Webby Award in the Video - Animation category.
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Dear Basketball's production team
Kobe Bryant's Oscar-winning short film Dear Basketball is not available for viewing on Hulu. However, a documentary called Kobe Bryant's Muse produced by Showtime is available on Hulu, Sling TV, and On Demand.
Dear Basketball is a 2017 American animated film written and narrated by Kobe Bryant. It is based on a letter Bryant wrote for The Players' Tribune on November 29, 2015, announcing his retirement from basketball. The film was directed and animated by Glen Keane, with music by John Williams.
The film was made in partnership between Bryant's own Granity Studios and Believe Entertainment Group. Glen Keane, the director, experimented with new techniques, like animating sweat. He laid a separate sheet over the drawing where a soft layer of graphite was added. By taking pictures with his iPhone and turning it into a negative, where the white turned black and vice versa, so it looked like sweat was running down the face.
The film was distributed online through Verizon's go90 platform, which was canceled in 2018. Since then, bootleg copies have shown up on various platforms such as YouTube and Dailymotion, but these are in violation of copyright laws. Bryant's studio made the film available for free online following his death in 2020. It can be viewed on Vimeo and DearBasketball.com, where the trailer is also available.
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Other Kobe Bryant films on Hulu
Dear Basketball, the Oscar-winning short film by Kobe Bryant, is not currently available on Hulu. However, Hulu does offer a range of other films and documentaries centred on the basketball legend, Kobe Bryant, including:
Kobe: The Making of a Legend
This film traces Kobe Bryant's journey from his childhood in Italy to NBA stardom and beyond. It explores his rise, controversies, and evolution, capturing the duality of his alter ego, the Black Mamba. The film also provides an intimate look at his life as a storyteller and father.
Kobe Bryant's Muse
This documentary, directed by Gotham Chopra, covers Kobe Bryant's childhood and the injuries that impacted his NBA career. It was produced by Showtime and is available to watch on Hulu. The documentary was made because, in Kobe's own words, he "didn't have the patience to write a book himself".
Kobe Doin' Work
Although it is not confirmed whether this documentary is available on Hulu, it was recommended by a user on Reddit who mentioned a "Lakers documentary on Hulu recently".
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Frequently asked questions
No, Dear Basketball is not available to watch on Hulu.
Dear Basketball is available to watch for free on Vimeo and dearbasketball.com.
Dear Basketball is an animated short film that is under 5 minutes and 22 seconds long.
Dear Basketball is an animated short film that tells the story of a young boy living out his basketball dreams. It is narrated by Kobe Bryant and based on a poem he wrote in 2015 to announce his retirement from basketball.




























