Kobe Bryant Starts New Chapter in His Life as He Releases Children's Book, 'The Wizenard Series'

Kobe Bryant continues to prove that there is life outside basketball as the retired NBA star recently released a fantasy/sports novel and already has high expectations for the project.

In a recent interview with SLAM, Bryant, 40, gushed about “The Wizenard Series: Training Camp,” a fiction novel that incorporates magic and sports, and is targeted at young adults.

DOING THE UNUSUAL

“What clicked for me was taking sports and making it something magical,” said Bryant, who published the book under his content production company, Granity.

The “LA Lakers” legend continued:

“Within that, we try to teach kids through Wizenard how to process their inner emotions—good, bad, indifferent. We teach them compassion and empathy, work ethic and attention to detail. That is how I believe we should tell stories.”

MORE THAN JUST A BOOK

“The Wizenard Series” tells the story of a basketball team and their mystical coach, Professor Rolabi Wizenard. Told from the angle of five different characters, “The Wizenard Series” also weaves in lessons “about internal conflict and raw emotion, about self-acceptance and growth.”

In a March 19 tweet announcing that the book is now available, Bryant further revealed that the book opens up readers to the “specific challenges, hopes, and fears” of each team player, and according to Global Times, he gave out copies to school children in China.

FACING STIGMA

Bryant reportedly envisioned “The Wizenard Series” about three years ago, and seeing his dream actualized must be a beautiful thing, but the retired basketball player understands that some folks may not see it as he does.

“There will always be a little [stigma] because I’m known for basketball,” he admits, before launching into a run-down of the creative talent and process that produced the book. “If you look at the quality of the book, you’ll know I’m not playing around.”

While some may have trouble seeing Bryant as anything other than a globally acclaimed “Mamba” on the court, he is totally at peace on that level.

KOBE THE BASKETBALL STAR VS. KOBE THE CONTENT CREATOR

Bryant retired from basketball in 2016 after an eventful 20-year career that saw him rise to the top of his game, but when a friend recently asked if he’s bothered that his third child, Bianka won’t know him as a basketball player, Bryant paused.

Bianka was born in 2016, so she did not get to witness her father’s basketball glory days as did her two older sisters, Natalia, 16, and Gianna, 12.

Bryant did not seem to mind, however, and finally gave his friend a response:

“I thought about it for a bit and said, Yeah, that’s true. She won’t know that part of my life, but that doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, it excites me.”

NEW BABY MAMBA ON THE WAY

While Bianka arrived at the tail-end of her father’s career, the new baby on the way may have a lot of catching up to do to appreciate the full glory of Kobe Bryant the NBA star.

The 18-time All-Star and his wife, Vanessa, announced in January 2019 that they are expecting a fourth daughter and shortly after, the new mom-to-be was pictured flaunting her growing bump.

In the meantime, Bryant continues to make the most of his post-basketball life and after winning an Oscar in 2018 for an animated short titled, “Dear Basketball,” his sights are set on the Grammys for “The Wizenard Series.”