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L.A. photographer captured countless iconic moments in sports history — here's the story behind them
Andrew D. Bernstein spent 40+ years as go-to lensman for multiple major franchises
Andrew D. Bernstein, the NBA’s first official photographer, spent more than 40 years documenting many of the biggest names in professional sport. Here, he shares behind the scenes moments from the 1992 Summer Olympics USA Dream Team, the 2019 Raptors championship, and Kobe Bryant’s NBA career.
For over 40 years, Andrew D. Bernstein captured some of the most captivating photos in sports history as the go-to L.A. team photographer for the Lakers, Kings, Clippers and Dodgers.
Quickly gaining trust from high-status players including Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Kobe Bryant, Bernstein became, in his words, a welcomed "fly on the wall" at many of the biggest sports events in recent history, including the Dream Team's 1992 Summer Olympic run, Michael Jordan's first championship win with the Chicago Bulls, and Wayne Gretzky's historic 802nd goal, when he surpassed Gordie Howe's record.
Now, Bernstein hosts the Legend of Sport podcast, mentors the next generation of sport photographers, and runs NBA Photos — the worldwide leader in licensing of NBA photography, which he co-launched four decades ago.
"Although I was in the city of Toronto, the entire country was reveling in this incredible moment … It was great to be able to photograph that and document it … I had to pinch myself. I was super happy for Marc Gasol, who I'd gotten to know through his brother [Pau] and the Tannenbaum family, I've gotten to know them over the years.
"I was instructed to follow Kawhi from the moment he left the court. And that was about two, almost three hours of behind the scenes coverage, all the interviews he did, his family, private moments, with his teammates, everything. He had let his guard down by that point.
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