Shaquille O'Neal, Kevin Durant and more: Listing the 5 NBA players who have an Academy award on their resume
The Academy Awards are the talk of the town, including in the NBA, after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on live television. Smith, who won the Oscars for Best Actor later in the night, hit Rock after the comedian cracked a joke directed towards the actor's wife Jada Pinkett-Smith.
Steph Curry, Damian Lillard and a bunch of other NBA stars reacted to the incident, just like the rest of the world. And with LeBron James winning two Golden Rasperry Awards for "Space Jam: A New Legacy," let's look at the bright side of basketball players in Hollywood.
Here are five NBA players who have won the prestigious Academy Award.
#1 Kobe Bryant (2018) - 'Dear Basketball'
The late, great Kobe Bryant became the first athlete and NBA player to ever win an Academy Award back in 2018. Bryant won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for "Dear Basketball." The LA Lakers legend wrote and narrated the film based on his retirement letter published in The Player's Tribune.
Bryant winning the Oscars paved the way for the other NBA players on this list, as well as those future athletes who will venture into the entertainment industry. It was a monumental win not just for Bryant, but for the entire sports community.
"I don't know if it's possible. I mean, as basketball players, we are really supposed to shut up and dribble. But I am glad we do a little bit more than that," Bryant said during his speech.
#2 Kevin Durant (2021) - 'Two Distant Strangers'
Kevin Durant is not just a former MVP, a two-time NBA Finals MVP and a two-time NBA champion. He's also an Academy Award winner. Durant won the Oscars for Best Short Film (Live Action) for "Two Distant Strangers," which was about a young black man trapped in a time loop, re-living his death after a run-in with the police.
Durant served as an executive producer under his company Thirty Five Ventures with business partner Rich Kleiman. The former MVP has invested in several industries such as media and entertainment. It wouldn't be surprising if Durant wins another Hollywood award in the future.
Big time!! Congrats @TwoDistantFilm twitter.com/35Ventures/sta…
#3 Mike Conley (2021) - 'Two Distant Strangers'
Kevin Durant was not the only NBA player to win an Academy Award for the short film "Two Distant Strangers." Mike Conley of the Utah Jazz also served as an executive producer for the film. Conley got attached to the project through a friend, who talked to him about investing in it.
"He let me in on the project and said they're close but they’re not going to be able to get it off the ground and running if they didn't get a couple more people involved. I didn't know it would blow up to what it is now. We were just trying to get it into the Sundance Festival, and look where we are today," Conley told NBA.com after winning the award.
Congratulations Mike!
#Oscars https://t.co/QQ5SqTr7ch
#4 Shaquille O'Neal (2022) - 'Queen of Basketball'
Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most accomplished NBA players in history. He's also one of the few athletes who has had a successful career outside of sports. Shaq has sold albums as a rapper, has starred in movies and is currently a DJ touring the country.
The LA Lakers also added Academy Award winner to his resume to join his former teammate Kobe Bryant. Shaq won an Oscar as an executive producer for Best Documentary Short Subject for "Queen of Basketball." The 22-minute film is all about the late Lusia Harris, a Hall of Famer, who was one of the pioneers for women's basketball.
"I want to honor Miss Harris, you know, by helping her story get out to the world. I had no idea who she was and I like to consider myself a basketball aficionado," O'Neal said about the film back in January.
Wish Lucy would have been here for this victory, but I’m sure she’s celebrating in heaven. #longlivethequeen
#Oscarwinner https://t.co/lLsWP1LPHw
#5 Steph Curry (2022) - 'Queen of Basketball'
Steph Curry also served as an executive producer for "Queen of Basketball" alongside Shaquille O'Neal. Curry signed on to become an EP for the short film earlier this month. The two-time MVP joined under his Unanimous Media company two months after Lusia Harris' death.
"We're honored to join the talented team behind The Queen of Basketball and play a role in uplifting the story of the trailblazing Lucy Harris. Lucy, a true pioneer in the game of basketball and an inspiration for many, deserves to be recognized for her achievements," Curry said in a statement back in March.
QUEEN OF BASKETBALL has won the #OSCAR for Best Documentary Short Subject!
The documentary is about Lusia Harris, the first woman to be officially drafted by an NBA team. It was executive produced by Shaq & Steph Curry. https://t.co/cVSDOTO43Z