As he prepares for life off the basketball court, and outside the NBA, Kobe Bryant has just signed on with the top
talent agency in the business.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Bryant has signed a deal with WME (William Morris Endeavors).
Although his marketing contracts will continue to be handled by his Landmark Sports agent Rob Pelinka, WME will represent the 14-time All-Star in film, TV, books and digital, similar to what it does for its other superstar athlete clients, including LeBron James, whose burgeoning Hollywood portfolio includes executive producing the Starz comedy Survivor’s Remorse, developing the Esquire docuseries Winner’s Circle and an untitled NBC game show and playing himself in Amy Schumer’s Trainwreck. For his part, Bryant recently executive produced his first project, the documentary Kobe Bryant’s Muse, which aired on Showtime on Feb. 28.
The experience exposed Bryant to the possibility of a second act behind the camera. Next year he completes his two-season, $48.5 million playing contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he’ll have spent his entire 20-year NBA career. “There are so many other stories to be told,” he said to THR’s Marisa Guthrie in February, mentioning former Lakers coach Phil Jackson and Apple designer Jonathan Ive as potential subjects to profile.
Bryant has indicated that he’d like to continue to executive produce and be a large part of documentaries and other film projects.