Early next week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is set to reveal the latest class of invitees to the film industry’s most prestigious organization. But at least one name that might have been expected to be on it will be missing: basketball legend Kobe Bryant.
The retired Los Angeles Lakers star won an Oscar earlier this year along with director Glen Keane for the animated short film “Dear Basketball.” Under the academy’s procedures, Oscar winners and nominees are automatically considered for, though not guaranteed, membership, with the ultimate decision of who gets admitted to the group residing with the 54-member board of governors.
While Bryant was recommended for membership by the short films and feature animation branch, he did not make the final cut, The Times has confirmed, owing to his lack of a larger body of work in the film industry.
