The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2025–26 season tipped off with a new kind of debut not on the court, but behind the camera. Natalia Bryant, the 22-year-old daughter of the late Kobe Bryant, has officially joined the Lakers as a creative director, marking a major milestone in both her personal journey and the franchise’s cultural legacy.
Natalia’s first project, Forever Iconic: Purple and Gold Around the World, is a stunning short film that celebrates the Lakers’ global impact and enduring legacy. The project doubles as a deeply personal love letter to her father, to Los Angeles, and to the fans who’ve carried the purple and gold across generations.
The short film features an emotional mix of archival footage and modern-day cameos, seamlessly connecting the eras of Magic Johnson, Kobe, and LeBron James. Viewers are taken on a ride through Los Angeles fans biking through palm-lined streets, families watching nervously from their living rooms, and designer Jeff Hamilton hand-stitching a custom Lakers jacket, reminiscent of the ones Kobe once wore during his championship runs.
Natalia, who graduated cum laude from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts earlier this year, called the experience “an amazing, collaborative environment.” She said working with the Lakers allowed her to merge her love for storytelling with the emotional ties she’s always felt to the team.
Her father’s influence is visible in every frame not just through the highlights, but through the sense of discipline, excellence, and artistry that defined Kobe’s life. Even her graduation sash earlier this year featured his “sheath” logo, a symbol Kobe once said represented “the talent within and the strength that contains it.”
For Natalia, the project isn’t just about honoring her father’s legacy, it’s about building her own.
Her first short film proves she’s doing just that. Forever Iconic: Purple and Gold Around the World is more than a tribute: it’s a statement. It’s about what the Lakers mean to their city, to their fans, and to one family that has lived that legacy more deeply than most.
With her official role as Creative Director of the Lakers, Natalia Bryant is not just carrying her father’s torch, she’s turning it into art.
