Key Takeaways
- Natalia Bryant’s debut as creative director highlights her creative vision in a Lakers short film.
- The film features tributes to Kobe Bryant, combining archival footage with present-day cameos.
- Appearances by LeBron James, Magic Johnson, and more connect past and present eras of Lakers greatness.
Natalia Bryant is stepping into her creative era, and she’s doing it with the same pride that defined her father’s legacy. The 22-year-old USC graduate and eldest daughter of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant made her debut as a creative director with Forever Iconic: Purple and Gold Around the World, a short film celebrating the Los Angeles Lakers’ global fanbase and storied history.
The project — shared exclusively with PEOPLE on Wednesday (Oct. 8) — marks the beginning of the Lakers’ 2025–2026 NBA season and captures what Natalia described as “the Lakers’ impact, not only in LA but around the world.” True to that mission, the short film features fans representing the team’s culture in everyday moments — from cruising through the city on bikes to passionately yelling at their TVs mid-games. Designer Jeff Hamilton, known for crafting legendary NBA jackets, is shown meticulously stitching Lakers gear by hand. Cameos from icons like Magic Johnson, Shohei Ohtani, LeBron James, and relatively new Laker Luka Dončić bridge generations of basketball greatness.
Natalia’s film also includes poignant tributes to her late father. In one moment, PEOPLE revealed, Dončić shouts “Kobe!” while tossing a towel into a trash can, followed by archival footage of the late legend sinking a game-winning shot as the announcer’s voice calls, “Bryant for the win!” Actress Brenda Song, a longtime Lakers superfan, reportedly appears throughout the short and even recreates LeBron’s viral “It’s our ball, ain’t it?!” outburst.
Natalia adds to her father’s legacy by creating her own through film
Natalia, who graduated cum laude from USC’s film program in May, said the project was “an amazing, collaborative environment” that allowed her to express her passion for visual storytelling and her deep connection to the franchise that helped shape her family’s life.
“If you’re not a Lakers fan yet,” she told PEOPLE, “I hope you watch this, and it makes you want to be.”