Kobe Bean Bryant was an American basketball player. He played shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years (NBA). Known as one of the best basketball players ever, Bryant was an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA selection, a 12-time All-Defensive selection, the 2008 NBA MVP, and a two-time NBA Finals MVP. Bryant was the NBA’s scoring leader twice and ranks fourth all-time in regular season and playoffs. in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bryant, who grew up in Philadelphia and Italy, was the finest American high-school basketball player at Lower Merion. Son of former NBA player Joe Bryant, he entered the 1996 NBA draught and was chosen 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets before being transferred to the Lakers. Bryant won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie and was an All-Star in his second season.
With Shaquille O’Neal, they guided the Lakers to three straight NBA titles from 2000-2002. Assault charges were dropped after the accuser refused to testify, and a case was settled out of court after Bryant apologized publicly and admitted to a sexual contact he claimed was consensual.
After the 2004 NBA Finals, O’Neal was moved and Bryant became the Lakers’ cornerstone. In 2005–06 and 2006–07, he led the NBA in scoring. On January 22, 2006, he scored 81 points, second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point performance.
Bryant led the squad to two NBA Finals MVP awards in 2009 and 2010. He remained a top performer in the league until 2012–13 when he tore his Achilles tendon at age 34. Injuries to his knee and shoulder ended his following two seasons. Bryant retired following the 2015–16 season due to injury.
Bryant was the first guard in NBA history to play 20 seasons. His 18 All-Star selections are second all-time, and he has the most consecutive starts. Bryant has four NBA All-Star MVP Awards, tied with Bob Pettit. In the mid-2000s, he coined the moniker “Black Mamba,” which became highly popular. He earned two gold medals with the US national team in 2008 and 2012. Dear Basketball won him an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018. (2017).
Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January 2020 alongside his daughter Gianna and seven others.
Following his death, the All-Star MVP Award was renamed in his honor. In 2021, Bryant was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Kobe Bryant Biography
Kobe Bryant was born in Philadelphia on August 23, 1978. His father, Joe Bryant, played for the 76ers. His parents called him after a famous Kobe beef they saw on a table. Joe retired from the NBA when Kobe was six and moved the family to Italy to play in a European league. Kobe became fluent in Italian. During the summers, Kobe would return to the US to play in summer basketball leagues. Joseph’s family relocated to Philadelphia where he attended Lower Merion High School.
Kobe was a standout in high school, leading his team to their first state title in 53 years. He was named Gatorade Men’s National Basketball Player of the Year and USA Today All-American First Team. His SAT score was good enough to get him into numerous institutions, but Kobe chose the NBA. Kobe is the NBA’s youngest ever drafted player.
NBA
A pre-arranged transaction saw the Lakers acquire Kobe immediately after he was selected by the Hornets during the first round of the draught. In order to sign his rookie contract, Kobe’s parents had to provide their consent because he was under 17. A three-year, $3.5 million NBA contract was his first professional contract.
At the age of 18, Kobe became the NBA’s youngest starter ever. At the end of his third season with the team, he really began to shine. There were comparisons to Magic Johnson and the like being made about him at this point.
A $70 million, six-year deal extension was also part of his third year. The Lakers hired Phil Jackson as their head coach in 1999. A record five NBA championships would be achieved by the trio of Jackson, Kobe, and the Los Angeles Lakers during their tenure together. Three consecutive years from 2000 to 2002 are included in this.
Kobe Bryant Career & Earning
Kobe Bryant made approximately $328 million in salary alone during his time with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. A three-year, $90 million agreement signed in 2010 by another NBA star is also worthy of note. He agreed to a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension in 2013. Kobe got $25 million in compensation in his final NBA season.
He made an estimated $350 million from endorsements over his career. That tallied out to a total of $680 million during his career.
Nike, Sprite, McDonald’s, Turkish Airlines, Lenovo, Hublot, and Panini were some of his most well-known sponsors. Companies like Alibaba, Sina.com, and Mercedes Benz signed lucrative sponsorship deals with Kobe because of his fame in China.
When he was only starting out, he was signed by Adidas. Before the 1996 season, he signed a six-year deal with Adidas worth $48 million.
Following his sexual assault charges in 2003, many of Kobe’s sponsorship contracts were terminated. That year, Nike signed him to a four-year contract worth $10 million per year. For two years, Nike did not sponsor Kobe Bryant in any way.
It was only a matter of time until endorsement deals came back in full force.
Kobe Bryant Net Worth
In addition to being a basketball player, Kobe Bryant was also a producer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur in his own right. Kobe Bryan had a net worth of $600 million at the time of his death. Sadly, Kobe Bryant was killed in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020. All-Star Kobe Bryant was a 5-time NBA champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, and an 18-time NBA All-Star.
The highest-paid athlete in sports even after retirement was Kobe Bryant. Over the course of his career, Kobe Bryant raked in hundreds of millions of dollars in endorsement deals and compensation. He made some incredibly astute financial decisions.
At the time of his death, he had a $200 million investment in the beverage Body Armour. His initial investment of $6 million was made six years ago. Coca-Cola paid $5.6 billion in October 2021 to acquire the whole Body Armour business.
What Is Kobe Bryant’s Net Worth Today?
As previously said, Kobe Bryant was worth $600 million at the time of his death. The pre-tax value of his BodyArmor investment was included in that figure at $200 million.
The Bryant estate’s equity had been reduced to 5% by the time Coca-Cola acquired 100% of BodyArmour at an $8 billion price in October 2021. This transaction netted his estate $400 million before taxes. Around $270 million was left over after tax.
So if Kobe were still alive, his net worth would rise from $600 million to $670 million as a result of this deal. This may not seem like much of an increase, but it takes into account an increase in BodyArmor’s value of $200 million and a reduction of approximately $130 million owing to taxes. An alternate reality would have given Kobe Bryant a net worth of $700 million at the start of 2022, based on prior acquisitions and transactions.
Kobe Bryant Body Armour Investment
In March of this year, Kobe bought a 10% share in BodyArmour for $6 million.
When Coca-Cola bought a 15% share in BodyArmor, the company’s total value was estimated to be over $2 billion. As a result, Kobe’s $600,000 investment was actually worth $200 million, even before considering the impact of taxes. After taking over bottling and distribution, Coca-Cola was able to increase its stock holding by 15%.
In October 2021, Coca-Cola purchased the remaining 70% of body armor for $5.6 billion, valuing the brand at $8 billion, in a deal. As of the acquisition, Kobe’s interest had been cut to 5%, therefore his estate received a $400 million windfall.
Kobe Bryant Outside of the NBA
At the last two Summer Olympics, in 2008 and 2012, Kobe was the gold medal winner.
“Dear Basketball” won Kobe an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in 2018.
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Kobe Bryant Private Life
Kobe married Vanessa Laine, who was 17 at the time, in November of 1999. During her time as a background dancer, they became acquainted. At the same time, he was in the studio working on his debut album of musical compositions. Within six months of their initial meeting, they were engaged. As a teenager, she was still a high school senior.
On April 18, 2001, Kobe and Vanessa tied the knot in Dana Point, California. Bryant’s parents reportedly refused to attend the wedding because they disapproved of their son’s and daughter’s union.
Natalia Diamante Bryant was born on January 19th, 2003, and Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant was born in May of that year. In total, they had four children, all of whom were girls. Bianka and Capri are the couple’s additional daughters.
After 10.5 years of marriage, Vanessa Bryant filed for divorce on December 16th, 2011. Vanessa’s divorce settlement could have cost him $100-150 million because they didn’t have a prenuptial agreement. They were able to work things out.
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Kobe Bryant Death
At the age of 41, Kobe Bryan died in a helicopter crash on January 26, 2020, in an incredibly stunning turn of events. The crash claimed the lives of eight other persons. Gianna, Kobe’s 13-year-old daughter, was also among the dead.