The Rise: Kobe Bryant and the Pursuit of Immortality

Kobe Bryant is a legend - The Rise is a fascinating look at his early life and how he became regarded as one of basketball’s greatest ever players.
Kobe Bryant’s death in January 2020 did more than rattle the worlds of sports and celebrity. It took the tragedy of that helicopter crash to reveal the full breadth and depth of Kobe’s influence, and by tracing and telling the oft-forgotten and lesser-known story of his early life, The Rise promises to provide an unparalleled insight into Kobe.
In The Rise, listeners will travel from the cracked concrete basketball courts of Philadelphia in the 1960s and '70s - where Kobe’s father, Joe, became a playground, college and professional standout - to the majesty and isolation of Europe, where Kobe spent his formative years, and to the leafy suburbs of Lower Merion, where Kobe’s legend was born. The story will culminate with his leading Lower Merion to the 1995-96 Pennsylvania state championship - a true underdog run for a team with just one star player, Kobe - and with the 1996 NBA draft, where Kobe’s dream of playing pro basketball culminated with his acquisition by the Los Angeles Lakers.