Kobe Bryant death: Oscars to honour NBA icon two years after he was denied entry into Film Academy

The Academy Awards will honour Kobe Bryant during this year's ceremony - two years after he was denied entry into the exclusive club of creators.

“We can confirm that Kobe Bryant will be acknowledged in the telecast,” the Academy said in a statement to Deadline on Tuesday.

Bryant died on Sunday aged 41 in a helicopter crash, along with eight other people including is 13-year-old daughter Gianna.

Tributes have been pouring from all over for the NBA great. Just hours after the news of his death broke, the Grammys ceremony paid homage to Bryant in a special tribute by Alicia Keys and Boyz II Men.

It’s not clear yet what form the Oscars tribute will take - whether Bryant will be included in the traditional in memoriam segment or whether there will be a separate tribute.

Almost two years ago, in June 2018, Bryant was denied entry into the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences despite being an Oscar winner himself.

The 2017 short film Dear Basketball, which Bryant wrote and narrated, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in March 2018.

However, the Academy ruled later that year that Bryant wouldn’t be extended an invitation to join the organisation, reportedly because they felt he needed a wider body of work in the field of entertainment to do so.

The 2020 Oscars will take place on 9 February in Los Angeles.