BY J. CLARA CHAN | HollywoodReporter.Com

Troy Warren for CNT #Digital

The tapes were recorded by the NBA star’s high school basketball coach Jeremy Treatman as the two planned to write a book together at the time.

An upcoming podcast from iHeartRadio and Diversion Podcasts will feature previously unheard tapes of a teenage Kobe Bryant discussing his dreams and goals as the burgeoning basketball star begins his career.

Hosted by the journalist Mike Sielski, I Am Kobe lets listeners hear directly from Bryant as a high school senior and graduate, as well as during his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. The tapes were recorded by the star’s high-school basketball coach, Jeremy Treatman, between 1995 and 1996 when the two had originally planned to write a book together. The book ultimately never got published, but Treatment rediscovered the tapes nearly 30 years later when he was cleaning out his crawl space during a move.

The 12-episode series will also feature interviews with friends and family members who knew Bryant as a young adult, including Treatman.

The first two episodes of I Am Kobe series will release on Nov. 16 on all major podcasting platforms, with subsequent episodes dropping weekly on Tuesdays.

“I am grateful to have the opportunity to present this rare inside look into Kobe Bryant’s formative years and tell his story through these never-before-heard tapes,” Sielski said. “I Am Kobe gives fans the chance to hear Kobe’s voice in a way they never have before, as we explore the making of an icon.”

“We are thrilled to team up with Diversion again to bring listeners this untold story of Kobe Bryant’s formative years,” Will Pearson, COO of the iHeartPodcast Network, added. “To have access to this rare audio from Kobe himself makes this podcast unlike anything else out there.”

Listen to the trailer here.