In cooperation with Granite Studios and Believe Entertainment, Verizon announced the launch of a new star-studded short animated film on its go90 streaming video app. Titled “Dear Basketball,” the 5-minute animated film brings together some big names in various industries.
According to Verizon, “Dear Basketball” is based on a 2015 “poetic ode to the game” written by Kobe Bryant. First published in The Player’s Tribune, Bryant’s words resonated well with the sports community. The letter served as Bryant’s retirement farewell from the game as the player ended his 20-year career in 2016.
“Dear Basketball” was worked on by three individuals who are considered legends in their own respective fields: Kobe Bryant, animator Glen Keane, and renowned composer John Williams. Bryant holds numerous NBA records and several Olympic gold medals. Keane was the chief animator behind several well-known films, including The Rescuers, Bolt and Wreck-It Ralph. Williams, arguably the most well-respected living music composer for Hollywood films, holds numerous awards for his musical compositions in films such as the Star Wars, E.T. and Fiddler on the Roof.
According to Byrant, “Dear Basketball” is not just for sports fans, but for everyone. “‘Dear Basketball’ is a story about the child within all of us, having dreams and loving something so much that you know when it’s time to say goodbye,” he said.
The film is available through Verizon’s go90 video app, as well as Yahoo Sports, AOL, and Complex formats. The go90 app carries an exclusive 22-minute “behind-the-scenes” feature detailing how the short film was created.
Sam Cook is a full-time content strategist by day, a part-time freelance content writer since 2015. In another life, he was a high school English teacher for nearly a decade. Based in sunny New Orleans, he writes long-form educational content on technology, including Insurtech, Fintech, HRtech, and content streaming. He loves whittling down complex ideas within these areas that make decisions easier for buyers. When he’s not reading books with his son Miles and playing video games with the family, you can find him immersed in his growing collection of Euro-style board games.
