Kobe Bryant went beyond what is usually expected from a basketball player. He challenged limits, overcame records and re-wrote the history of the sport.

To pay homage to Kobe Bryant, we turned NBA’s Rules Book into Kobe’s Rules Book. To do that, we did a retrospective of his entire career, from the origin of his name to his score in his last game. Then, we gathered a team of 12 artists to make interventions in each of NBA’s Rules Book’s pages, according to the theme of that particular part. For each page, an intervention, using illustrations, typography, sewing, ink that glows in the dark, and even bandages.

We produced only 24 books, the same jersey number Kobe had until the end of his career. 23 to NBA lovers. 1 to Kobe.

Everything evolves around NBA’s Rules Book and its pages of score, fouls, court’s dimensions and game’s duration. These subjects were the inspiration for 12 artists that did interventions in each part of the original material, including the cover.

Each intervention talked about a specific theme, based on the research of Kobe Bryant’s life and career.

Several different techniques were used to develop Kobe’s Rules Book, such as:

- Illustration,

- Painting,

- Sewing,

- Calligraphy,

- Collage,

- Linoleum engraving,

- Typography using bandages,

- and even a stencil with ink only visible in the dark.

The development process originated an online film and several communication pieces, which spread ESPN’S homage throughout the shows and social networks and turned the material viral.

With Kobe’s Rules Book, we reached amazing results: we paid homage to the Black Mamba, produced content that was shared by opinion makers all over the country, communicated that ESPN is an engaged sports brand and that it is always up-to-date with what’s happening in the world of basketball, and established a clear connection between ESPN and NBA and between ESPN and sports’ fans in Brazil.

More than that, we created an object of desire for basketball fans and admirers of Kobe Bryant’s career. After sending the first copy to Kobe, we delivered the 23 others books to NBA lovers.

This fact became news in the press, social networks and we received daily requests for an exclusive copy of the book from eager fans.