Kobe Bryant documentary Making of a Legend uncovers police interview that complicates legacy
Kobe Bryant documentary Making of a Legend uncovers police interview that complicates legacy
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Bryant’s talent on the basketball court made him a sports icon before his untimely death. A new CNN documentary shines further light on the sexual assault trial that stains his legacy, writes Kevin E G Perry. When Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas five years ago this week, the city of Los Angeles was gripped by a shared state of disbelief.
![[A mural depicting deceased NBA star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, painted by Royyaldog, is displayed on a building on February 13, 2020]](https://static.independent.co.uk/s3fs-public/thumbnails/image/2020/02/24/14/kobe-bryant-mural.jpg)
Widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time, the 41-year-old was beloved locally as the rookie who had spent the entirety of his 20 year career with the LA Lakers. Soon walls across the city were plastered with murals commemorating Bryant and paying tribute to his incredible feats on the court —depicting him as somewhere between a god and an angel.
![[Kobe Bryant playing for the LA Lakers against the Washington Wizards in December 2015]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/16/GettyImages-499681918.jpg)
On Saturday (January 25) the first episode of a new three-part documentary, Kobe: The Making of a Legend, will air on CNN. The first installment of the in-depth series covers his childhood, his rise in youth basketball, and the marriage to his wife Vanessa that put him at loggerheads with his parents and closest advisors.
![[Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa attend a news conference at Staples Center, the home of the Lakers, July 18, 2003 in Los Angeles, California.]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/22/GettyImages-2175111.jpg)
But is the second episode, set to arrive on January 31, that will prove most controversial, as it includes details of a newly unearthed police interview with the 19-year-old hotel worker who accused Bryant of sexual assault in 2003. At 24, Bryant was already a superstar when he checked into the Cordillera Lodge and Spa in June 2003. He was in the sleepy Colorado town of Eagle to undergo a minor knee surgery. His alleged victim was employed on the front desk of the hotel, and claims in the police interview that after showing the VIP guest to his room, he asked her for a personal tour. When they ended up back in his room, he asked her for a hug, then started kissing her. While that was consensual, she says that when Bryant started to grope her and she objected, she tried to break away and he grabbed her by the neck.
![[A reporter holds a copy of the statement from Koby Bryant that was distributed after it was announced the prosecution is dropping all charges against Bryant during a press conference outside the Eagle County Justice Center September 1, 2004 in Eagle, Colorado]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/01/24/23/GettyImages-51254208.jpg)
