The 90th academy awards saw a new first in its history - A sportsperson was awarded the golden statuette for the first time.
The former Los Angeles Lakers and basketball superstar Kobe Bryant has become an unlikely Oscar winner after Dear Basketball, which he wrote and narrated, won the Academy Award for the best animated short film.
‘Dear Basketball’ sees an animated Bryant explain his love of the sport he played professionally for 20 years. Glen Keane, who worked on Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid animated the film, while Oscar-winning composer John Williams provided the soundtrack.
The award was presented by the cast members from 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'.
In his acceptance speech, the 39-year-old sportsperson said, "As basketball players, we're really supposed to shut up and dribble. I'm glad we can do a little bit more than that".
He thanked the Academy for this "amazing honour".
Among those offering their congratulations via Twitter were Hall of Famers Magic Johnson, Bill Russell and Shaquille O'Neal, Bryant's former Lakers teammate who admitted, "I'm jealous lol."
