Spike Lee’s Kobe’s Documentary to Premier at Tribeca Film Fest in April

Spike Lee’s first love has a clearly always been basketball. His infatuation with the sport and specifically Micheal Jordan played out on the big screen in his 90’s classic “Do The Right Thing” and the groundbreaking “its gotta be the shoes” Nike commercials. And although he’s a diehard Knicks fan like my man Dos Un, he totally respects the court gangsta of one of the game’s elite, Kobe Bryant.
So although his choice to document Kobe in his upcoming telepic “Kobe Doin’ Work,” might be a odd one at first glance, its not unprecedented. The TV-documentary which is slated to premiere April 25th during the Tribeca Film Festival before its May debut on ESPN, captures a day in the life of Los Angeles Lakers star. Following its premiere, “Kobe Doin’ Work” will be televised Saturday, May 16, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

During last year’s playoffs, Lee and his cinematographer, Matthew Libatique, cooled out with the oft-controversial star. The film takes you behind the scenes as you experience the life of Kobe before, during and after the game.

“We are proud to kick off the Tribeca/ESPN Sports Film Festival with a documentary showcasing not only Spike Lee’s fervent love of basketball, but our collective commitment to great storytelling,” said Keith Clinkscales, senior vice president ESPN content development. “‘Kobe Doin’ Work’ and the entire sports festival slate speak to the power of film and sports to inspire, motivate and transform.”

Seven other sports related films will also premier during the festival which takes place April 22 - May 3 in lower Manhattan, New York.

I must say that even though Lee has always had a respect for the opponent, I find his choice to immortalize Kobe a strange one. I think Kobe yes is the one of the top PLAYERS in the game but clearly not the poster child for the sport. I would have thought he’d be more inclined to go with the younger, more beloved Lebron James. While its not a bad choice its another indicator that the Knicks need a superstar and should be working just a little bit harder to ensure they get one in the 2010 off season.

Here’s Kobe and Spike working behind the scenes on a recent Sprite Commercial (after the jump)