Adams defines the mythology of Kobe Bryant as the ways and means in which Kobe's inspirational greatness transcended the culture of sport and the ever-changing context of human existence as we know it. Here the mythological greatness of Kobe Bryant, in life and death, leaves creative space for a knowledgeable interpretation of what made Kobe, to borrow the word of LeBron James, immortal. Whether it was founded in the unfathomable amount of work that Kobe put into improving his basketball game from one year to the next or the creation of the Mamba Mentality that enabled him to teach others how to grow into the best version of themselves, the symbiotic totality of Kobe's ability to be great while inspiring others is worth celebrating. Utilizing biblical studies and theological reflections, this new volume presents Kobe Bryant as an imperfect human being. Through statistical facts, descriptive narratives, and historical analyses, this book also presents a detailed argument as to why Bryant is the greatest basketball player ever. Kobe's Mamba Mentality gives a thick description of his inner drive and his outer thoughts for the purpose of unpacking the contours of Kobe's life as a family man, businessman, leader, and professional athlete.

In 20 seasons in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform, Kobe Bryant ascended from teenaged rookie to 18-time All-Star and five-time NBA champion. The superstar known as the Black Mamba left his mark on basketball and popular culture as a fierce competitor who inspired those around him and never settled for less than the best. To commemorate the life and career of the most beloved Laker of his generation, these moments and memories are collected in Kobe Bryant: A Tribute to a Basketball Legend. Featuring more than 100 photographs and written coverage from the pages of Sports Illustrated this new volume provides readers a complete portrait of the international basketball superstar who transcended his sport to become a cultural icon. Relive every moment including Bryant entering the NBA draft directly out of high school, winning consecutive NBA Finals MVP awards in 2009 and 2010, the unforgettable 60-point farewell game, and the poignant tributes that followed his death in 2020. This lavish keepsake also features the best written coverage of Bryant's career from Sports Illustrated, including pieces by Chris Ballard, Jack McCallum, Lee Jenkins, and more.

This biography of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant examines his career, his achievements, and the tragic accident that ended his life. Engaging text, informative sidebars, and vivid photographs convey Bryant's legacy in the world of basketball. Features include a timeline, glossary, websites, source notes, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Essential Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Racial Spectacles: Explorations in Media, Race, and Justice examines the crucial role the media has played in circulating and shaping national dialogues about race through representations of crime and racialized violence. Jonathan Markovitz argues that mass media "racial spectacles" often work to shore up racist stereotypes, but that they also provide opportunities to challenge prevalent conceptions of race, and can be seized upon as vehicles for social protest. This book explores a series of mass media spectacles revolving around the news, prime-time television, Hollywood cinema, and the internet that have either relied upon, reconfigured, or helped to construct collective memories of race, crime, and (in)justice. The case studies explored include the Scottsboro interracial rape case of the 1930s, the Kobe Bryant rape case, the Los Angeles Police Department’s "Rampart scandal," the Abu Ghraib photographs, and a series of racist incidents at the University of California. This book will prove to be important not only for courses on race and media, but also for any reader interested in issues of the media's role in social justice.

"A compelling origin story of a time that really wasn’t so long ago but through the lens of tragedy feels like forever. Kobe-ologists will devour this book, reveling in the anecdotes about his intensity & the engaging game recaps." —Associated Press “Every superhero needs an origin story.” –Jeff Pearlman The inside look at one of the most captivating and consequential figures in our culture—with never-before-heard interviews. Kobe Bryant’s death in January 2020 did more than rattle the worlds of sports and celebrity. The tragedy of that helicopter crash, which also took the life of his daughter Gianna, unveiled the full breadth and depth of his influence on our culture, and by tracing and telling the oft-forgotten and lesser-known story of his early life, The Rise promises to provide an insight into Kobe that no other analysis has. In The Rise, readers will travel from the neighborhood streets of Southwest Philadelphia—where Kobe’s father, Joe, became a local basketball standout—to the Bryant family’s isolation in Italy, where Kobe spent his formative years, to the leafy suburbs of Lower Merion, where Kobe’s legend was born. The story will trace his career and life at Lower Merion—he led the Aces to the 1995-96 Pennsylvania state championship, a dramatic underdog run for a team with just one star player—and the run-up to the 1996 NBA draft, where Kobe’s dream of playing pro basketball culminated in his acquisition by the Los Angeles Lakers. In researching and writing The Rise, Mike Sielski had a terrific advantage over other writers who have attempted to chronicle Kobe’s life: access to a series of never-before-released interviews with him during his senior season and early days in the NBA. For a quarter century, these tapes and transcripts preserved Kobe’s thoughts, dreams, and goals from his teenage years, and they contained insights into and told stories about him that have never been revealed before. This is more than a basketball book. This is an exploration of the identity and making of an icon and the effect of his development on those around him—the essence of the man before he truly became a man.

Taking a sociological approach, this reader addresses the diverse array of crimes against women and offers a compilation of research on this often minimized topic. Rich in conceptualization and theory, these readings tackle topics from the victimrsquo;s perspective and include media images, legal analysis, and official statistics. Material is presented within historical, legal, and social contexts so readers get a comprehensive understanding of female victimization. Throughout the collection, the causes of female victimization are examined, the responses from the criminal justice system are considered and the consequences for society are revealed.