SPIKE LEE - LEE SHOOTS DOWN REPORTS OF BRYANT ROW

LEE SHOOTS DOWN REPORTS OF BRYANT ROW

Filmmaker SPIKE LEE has blasted reports basketball star KOBE BRYANT refused to cooperate for his new documentary until he was handed creative control of the project.
The Malcolm X moviemaker, an avid basketball fan who regularly sits courtside at professional games, struggled for months to gain permission from Los Angeles Lakers coach Phil Jackson and the NBA to film Kobe Doin' Work.
Lee recruited 30 cameramen to follow Bryant as his team went up against the San Antonio Spurs on 13 April (09) for the day-in-the-life project.
But rumours suggested the entire shoot was nearly thrown into jeopardy when Bryant refused to participate in filming unless he was given creative control - reportedly forcing Lee to consider changing the film's focus to another player.
Lee was said to have even driven to Bryant's house to beg him to cooperate, but Bryant allegedly refused to see him.
A source tells the New York Post's gossip column PageSix, "It went so far that Lee had a last-minute plan to substitute Spurs star Tim Duncan for Kobe and make the whole documentary about Duncan."
However, a spokesperson for Lee has branded reports of a dispute "completely baseless".
Lee's tribute to Bryant is set to air on U.S. sports network ESPN on 16 May (09).