What Is Late NBA Legend Kobe Bryant's Wife Vanessa Bryant’s Net Worth?

Vanessa Bryant's Net Worth

American philanthropist Vanessa Bryant and the widow of NBA player Kobe Bryant, founded their foundation in 2007 to help students with scholarships around the globe. Apart from this, she is also involved with Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation where she serves as the CEO and president of Granity Studios. The two met at a music studio when she was only 17 and Kobe 21. They got engaged within six months of dating and got married soon after and none of the parents approved. At one point in their lives, they were close to getting a divorce which was eventually called off and they remained happily married until Kobe and one of the couple's daughters died in a helicopter incident in 2020. As of 2023, she has a net worth of $600 million. 

Vanessa Bryant's Sources of Income

She got her start as a fashion model and appeared in music videos as a dancer before her marriage to Kobe. Afterwards, she launched a clothing company called Mambacita, in honor of Gigi Bryant. She also earned $1 million in one of the lawsuits following Kobe's death, as per TMZ. She also earns from many investments made by her husband during his lifetime, such as the investment in the sports drink company Body Armor which was later bought by Coca-Cola. The investment earned them close to $400 million.

Granity Studios

Among her other ventures, she also serves as the President and CEO of Granity Studios, which is a media production company founded by her husband in 2013. One of the notable works by the production company includes the animated short film "Dear Basketball."

The Lawsuit Following Kobe Bryant's Death

After the celebrated basketball player Kobe Bryant and his second-oldest daughter were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California, Vanessa decided to take Los Angeles County to court. She sued them on the grounds of privacy invasion and for negligence related to pictures that were taken of the crash. In 2022, she received close to $16 million in damages for the suit which she intends to donate to the Mamba and Mambacita Foundation. 

In 2023, the case was finally settled and she received an additional $28.85 million. A large chunk of this sum will go to the IRS and 13.3% to the state of California. 

Vanessa Bryant's Early Life and Career

Vanessa Laine was born in Los Angeles on May 5, 1982. She has a Mexican heritage and has an older sibling named Sophie. She grew up with her mother and stepfather Stephen Laine. In her teenage years, she started living with her step-grandfather and attended Marina High School. She was later approached by a company offering her to work as an extra in music videos and she went on to appear in music videos that featured artists like Snoop Dogg and Krayzie Bone. 

Vanessa Bryant's Personal Life

She met her future husband on the sets of the music video for Tha Eastsidaz's "G'd Up" and the relationship garnered media attention at the time. She completed her senior year and got engaged to Kobe Byrant. The couple tied the knot in 2001 in California and welcomed their first child, Natalia, in 2003. Through the early years of marriage, the couple was the subject of heavy media coverage and the relationship took a hit when Kobe Bryant got embroiled in a sexual assault case and she was linked with Los Angeles Lakers player Karl Malone. The two even filed for divorce but reconciled in early 2013. They welcomed their daughter, Bianka, in December of 2016 and their fourth daughter, Capri, in 2019.

Vanessa Bryant Social Media

FAQs

What age did Vanessa Bryant marry Kobe Bryant?

The two tied the knot when she was only 17 and Kobe was 21. 

How did Kobe meet his wife Vanessa?

The two met on the sets of a music video.