How much was Kobe Bryant worth?
| Net Worth: | $500 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Basketball Player |
| Date of Birth: | August 23, 1978 (aged 41) |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 6 ft 5 in (1.98 m) |
About Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is also known as “Black Mamba” and was a professional American basketball player born on August 23rd, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kobe Bryant succumbed to a blunt force trauma sustained from a helicopter crash and died at the age of 41 along with his 13-year old daughter and seven other passengers.
He was the son of Pamela Cox Bryant, and former NBA player Joe Bryant, and the youngest of three children. He was also the nephew of retired NBA player John “Chubby” Cox. His parents obtained his name from Kobe Beef, a Japanese delicacy they saw in a restaurant menu. His middle name Bean was obtained from his father’s nickname “Jellybean.”
Being raised in a Catholic family, he always practiced his faith. Growing up his favorite team as a child was the Lakers, and he started playing basketball at the age of three. After retiring from the NBA, his father moved their family to Italy, during their stay there Kobe learned how to speak fluent Italian and became accustomed to the culture.
Bryant started playing basketball seriously while they lived in Reggio Emilia, he considered it the place where he had his most wonderful childhood memories. His sources of inspiration were NBA videos his grandfather sent him to study the game and European animated films about sports. He and his family moved back to Philadelphia when he was thirteen.
Kobe Bryant attended Lower Merion High School, and it’s there where he got recognition as the top high-school basketball player. He declared for the 1996 NBA draft after graduation, and Charlotte Hornets selected him with the 13th overall pick and later traded him to Lakers. Immediately after high school, he joined the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a shooting guard.
Bryant was a Los Angeles Lakers player, throughout his 20-season professional career. He was considered one of the greatest players of all time. Bryant had multiple achievements in his career and he also won many awards. He won the 15-time member of the All-NBA team, 5 NBA championships, 12-time member of the All-Defensive Team, 18-time All-star, 2-time NBA finals MVP, and 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player.
Some of his other top achievements include leading the NBA in scoring during two seasons as well as being on the all-time regular-season scoring list while on the all-time postseason scoring lists he ranks fourth.
- In 1997 he won the Slam Dunk Contest as a rookie, which earned him a reputation among fans and as a high-flyer, this lead to him being named as an All-star by his second season. Bryant and his teammate Shaquille O’Neal led the Lakers to win three NBA championships between 2000 to 2002.
- He became the core of the Lakers after Shaquille O’Neal was traded in the 2004 NBA finals. He continued to be successful and in 2006 he scored 81 points, which was the second most scored points in league history for a single game.
- He became the first guard player to play for 20 seasons, he also surpassed Jerry West and became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers history.
- He was recognized as the youngest player to reach 30,000 points by the age of 34 years. Bryant won two gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics as a U.S. national team member.
- He was a top player in the league until he suffered from torn Achilles tendon in 2013, and ended up retiring after the 2015-2016 season.
In 2018, Kobe Bryant was the first pro athlete to win an Academy Award for his animated short film Dear Basketball.
Annual earnings.
With a combination of his endorsements and his Lakers salary, he had the highest NBA salary which peaked at an estimated $62 million. His most successful partnership was with Nike, the partnership that started in 2003 and it was worth an estimated $40 million. Through the partnership, Bryant was sent to China several times by Nike to promote their products. His brand became popular in China and he got endorsements with companies like Alibaba and Mercedes-Benz among others.
Playing salary.
Kobe Bryant was one of the top five highest-earning NBA players. His first contract with the Lakers over the three years was worth an estimated $3.5 million. Individual salaries were being capped by the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement, and in 1999 Kobe Bryant became one of the first of five players to vote against it. He became the second NBA player after Michael Jordan to be able to get an annual salary of an estimated $30 million. He was second to Kevin Garnett in highest-paid playing salary.
Career earnings.
In his second decade of NBA Bryant would be named as one of the highest-paid athletes on earth each year. His earnings from his playing salary and endorsement deals, accumulated an estimated $680 million after his retirement in 2016. He was the biggest paid team athlete at that time.
BodyArmor revenue.
From great earnings as an athlete, endorsements and investments built Kobe Bryant’s net worth up to $500 million. His greatest investment was BodyArmor and it approximately represented one-third of his worth.
He had tremendous success for his team and he also earned accolades and personal records. The foundation of his career was built on grit, perseverance, and skill. He stayed loyal and consistent in his performance as an athlete and businessman. He trained and practiced without getting tired and maintained mental and emotional toughness.
One of the keys to Kobe’s success was having Joe Bryant as a father. As a former NBA player himself he trained Kobe in the sport from an early age and continued to coach his son until he passed so tragically.
Summing-Up
Kobe Bryant stayed consistent and worked hard for all his success. He left a legacy through his skills in basketball and business investments. He earned his fortune by doing everything that he needed to accomplish without ever giving up.
