Kobe Bryant was a legend. From winning three consecutive titles with the Lakers to leaving behind a lasting legacy in the basketball world, he inspired countless people. But his journey was not without its challenges. Overcoming every hurdle, Bryant never stopped pushing forward to solidify his place in history. Five years after the tragic passing of the basketball legend in an accident, a new documentary has been dropped that looks back at his life and career. There are several elements that make the show different from the other series.

This new docuseries is by Warner Bros. Discovery-owned company, CNN. Titled Kobe: The Making of a Legend, the series will shed light on how the 5x NBA champ built his career. It will be released as a three-part series nearly about 130 minutes long that will focus on both the victories and struggles Bryant faced to become one of the best in the league.

As per the initial announcement, the first episode of the series dropped at 9 p.m. on Saturday, January 25. “Five years after his passing, we are honored to share the story of Kobe Bryant—arguably one of the greatest and most competitive professional athletes of all time,” the Executive Producer for CNN Original Series, Eric Johnson said.

He further added, “While his legendary career on the court is widely celebrated, this series explores some of the lesser-known dimensions of his life. We’re proud to present a deeper, more nuanced portrait of Kobe and the complicated journey that shaped his legacy.”

This is the day just before January 26, when the accident took place in 2020, claiming the lives of nine people, including Bryant and his daughter Gianna. The second episode will be released on February 1 and the third on February 8 at the same time. Each part which is about 45 minutes long can be streamed on cnn.com. The series can be watched on CNN’s mobile app as well. 

‘Kobe: The Making of a Legend’ — Why is this Docuseries So Special?

The announcement of the series seemingly received mixed reviews at first. Many thought that the series was an attempt by CNN to improve its ratings, which had faced a drop of 47%. Whether it’s helpful for the network or an attempt to compete against other docuseries, Kobe: The Making of a Legend focuses on several rare moments from the 5x NBA champ’s life.

It will focus on Bryant’s childhood, which he spent in Italy. This was in 1983 when Bryant’s father, Joe Bryant, went to Europe to play basketball after leaving the Houston Rockets. Amidst his growing love for basketball, the 18× NBA All-Star was learning a new language and culture. 

During the family’s time in Reggio Emilia, the basketball legend met his friend and teammate, Marco Ferraroni. The two used to play together for the local youth team. Bryant was one year younger than the rest of his teammates as he was already far more skilled. Ferraroni also features in the series to reflect on the time he spent with Bryant. 

Reminiscing the old days when he played alongside Bryant on a small court near a church, Ferraroni recalled, “We spent hours and hours there. One of my memories of Kobe is that he was always there. I remember that Kobe was always available to play basketball, even for 1v1, just spending all afternoon playing 1v1 or a three-point competition. He was always there for basketball.”

Another childhood friend of Bryant, Giada Maslovaric shared a few words on how Kobe was like as a child. Maslovaric said, “Kobe did not care for gossip, for shallow things, but when he laughed, he would do so genuinely, so he was good company.” Maslovaric further discussed how the 4× NBA All-Star Game MVP  was always serious about his dream to play in the NBA. 

“He would always say that he’d play for the NBA. Whenever the topic was mentioned, he was not joking. We laughed a lot, but that joke was not funny to him, he would not play along with it. I was the only person laughing, he’d simply respond ‘I’ll get there,’” she shared. Maslovaric didn’t share Bryant’s love for basketball. While both had very different aims in life, the two bonded over their shared passion to be the best. A plaza in Reggio Emilia is named after Bryant and his daughter.

Conversations with Los Angeles Lakers trainer Gary Vitti, who has worked closely with Bryant, Hall of Famers Tracy McGrady and Sheryl Swoopes, and Jalen Brunson, are also featured in the series. After his childhood, the series also focuses on how a distance was formed between Bryant and his parents after he married Vanessa Bryant as well as their reconciliation. Are you watching the show?