Global Sign, Shared Meaning? Kobe Bryant’s Life and Its Representation from the USA to France

Abstract

This article examines the media representation of Kobe Bryant’s life in the media and his meaning as a global sign, both in France and the USA. It analyzes the representation of Bryant in French magazine 5 Majeur to highlight the specificities of the French media coverage of the NBA. In doing so, this article reconsiders Kobe Bryant’s story, its meaning to people in the USA and France, but also what it shows about evolving societal communications.