Luke Ellison

Mamba Forever Luke Ellison

A celebration of Kobe Bryant, this tribute book gives us a new portrait, personally and professionally, of the life and times of one of the most celebrated basketball players of all time. His dream to become an NBA superstar began at an early age. Under the tutelage of his father who was himself an NBA player, Kobe's work ethic and drive to succeed took him to worldwide fame. Playing for the legendary LA Lakers, Kobe took the game to new heights. An inspirational book, told through the eyes of Kobe Bryant, a shooting star, with hand-picked quotations drawn from over 20 years, on and off court, we see his passion for basketball, his relentless work ethic, his philosophies on life, his prescription for success, and most of all, his enduring love for his family: his wife Vanessa and their four children. Supplementing Kobe's quotes are additional quotes from those who knew him best, from coaches, players (including Michael Jordan, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James and others, sports writers, athletes, and former President Barack Obama. With an overview of his career by the numbers, and a detailed chronology of his life, arranged by hear, this compact book sports insights ("Takeaways") that summarize the key, hard-earned lessons Kobe shared with us, an essay about his inspirational life and untimely demise, and in his own words, a short statement he made at his retirement ceremony, held at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles, where he and Shaq were an unbeatable duo on the attack on court. Supplementing Kobe's heartfelt words, highlighting his passion for basketball and the debt he owes those who came before him, Kobe's life philosophy was simple: You can't pay it back, but you can pay it forward. Inspiring adults and children alike, Kobe's poem, an ode to basketball, won him an Oscar when adapted as an animated feature. Vanessa Kobe's touching tribute to her husband's basketball career was a highlight of his retirement ceremony; she also wrote poignantly, in an Instagram posting, in a look back at his life and career, with a request that we don't forget the other seven souls who shared that fateful helicopter ride to a basketball game at his training facility in Thousand Oaks, California. A touching tribute about Kobe Bryant, a final salute to a man who has inspired countless people, this book is a high-flying, slam-dunking look at his life and work, on and off court; a passionate storyteller who started his own company to publish sports-oriented movies and books to inspire young adults-a worldwide audience numbering 20 million on Facebook alone. Written and edited by Luke Ellison, a man in the autumn of his life whose nephews taught him the game in their backyard, Ellison's passion for basketball showed him that it's a game that brings people together, celebrating the game of life in all its dimensions.