Kobe Bryant’s new book continues his commitment to empowering the next generation of kids through sports.
Kobe Bryant has been a busy man in retirement. His numerous entrepreneurial and artistic ventures have made waves, including his new 100,000 square-foot Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California. A training facility that will house, hone and cultivate the young sports stars of the future.
Kobe’s opinions on LeBron James and the miserable current state of the Lakers organization has also made headlines.
"Seasons like this are what make the championships worth it.”
–@kobebryant on LeBron and the Lakers pic.twitter.com/RyqA6myggd
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 20, 2019
That’s only because Kobe has a loyal Lakers following that rivals Beyonce’s Beyhive. His opinion always matters and when he’s not talking hoops he’s focused on what he calls “a natural expansion of my commitment to educating and empowering the next generation of kids through sports.”
Keeping with that theme, Mamba hosted a bunch of youngsters to promote the release of his new book, “The Wizenard Series: Training Camp. Granity Studios published the debut book, a YA sports fantasy created by Kobe and written by award-winning author Wesley King.
A host of kids from the 2018 Jr. NBA Global Championship, NE Regional Boys Championship Team, Business of Sports School, Dual Language Middle School and NYC School via Playworks attended the basketball legend’s book promotion. NBA legend Nate “Tiny” Archibald, sportswriter Frank Isola and former NBA Coach Tom Thibodeau were also in attendance.
(Photo Courtesy of NBA)
Still just three years into retirement, Kobe is already impacting the world through various forms of entertainment.
He’s an Academy-award winning creator/producer and New York Times bestselling author, Bryant now adds publisher to his impressive list of credentials as his company Granity Studios will publish five Young Adult and Middle-Grade books in 2019 and 2020.
“With The Wizenard Series, Bryant and King introduce readers to a diverse cast of five key teammates on the West Bottom Badgres, a struggling inner-city basketball team. The worst team in the league, the Badgers could use a miracle,” according to a press release by Granity Studios.
“Instead, they get a mysterious new coach, Rolabi Wizenard, who mystically gifts each boy with the power to see the present and the future in order to build them into a cohesive, winning unit.
Facing your fears leads to great things. The #Wizenard Series: Training Camp unfolds through five novels, each told from the perspective of a player on the team, sharing their specific challenges, hopes, and fears. Get your copy today! https://t.co/dApMd6Fjxy #GranityStudios pic.twitter.com/vaQVO5ps6K
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 19, 2019
Through Wizenard’s unorthodox and supernatural techniques, each player must compete in a series of daunting physical, emotional, and mental challenges, designed to illuminate their innermost selves. As the Badgers slowly start to improve as a team, the players come to realize that winning, losing, and teamwork are far more than just about athleticism and games.
The backdrop takes place over the course of a two-week basketball training camp, where readers get to know each character, their personal struggles, where they’ve come from, and where they may ultimately be going.
It’s a series filled with lessons about life and the mental stamina and emotional clarity that peak performance requires, as well as the importance of empathy, teamwork, and mentorship.
