Lakers legend Kobe Bryant was several minutes tardy for the panel on his upcoming Showtime documentary “Kobe Bryant’s Muse” at the Television Critics Association on Friday, but he had a good excuse.
“Sorry I’m late,” Bryant said as he finally took the stage. “I was out looking for a head coach.”
Directed by Gotham Chopra (“Decoding Deepak”), the documentary counts Bryant as a producer, a detail that has the potential to affect the objectivity of the project. Asked about his dual role as producer and subject, Bryant admitted, “I think me as producer is only a title. Honestly, I’m not quite sure what a producer really is. I kind of turn it over to Gotham.”
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During the panel, Bryant discussed what it was like to reach his goals at such a young age, and how he sets his goal now, as a 35-year-old. He said he has struggled with what to do next after he accomplishes a goal. The answer: Find a new goal.
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“And I came to the realization that, why would that book have to end? Why can’t you carry it on? Why can’t you take the lessons that you learned throughout your entire career, including the mistakes and the f-ups, because that’s all part of it, and share that with the rest of the world?” he said.
One mistake Bryant didn’t make during the panel: Being too guarded. At one point, Bryant looked out at the ballroom and addressed the fact that bottles of BodyArmor — a sports drink that he’s invested heavily in — had been placed on all of the tables.
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“That’s just cheesy as hell, man,” Bryant offered. “That’s just not good branding.”
“My tongue gets me in trouble a lot,” he added.