When it comes to NBA couples, there are hardly any as high-profile as Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa Bryant. The former Lakers superstar was a highly popular figure, and the fact that the pair started dating really early was quite the scandal at the time.
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Vanessa Bryant, then Vanessa Laine, was a senior in High School when she started dating Kobe. This stirred up a lot of noise at the time, with Kobe being in his early 20s by then.
And the noise surrounding the duo reached a fever pitch when Kobe proposed to Vanessa just as she turned eighteen. After their engagement, within a year, in April 2001, the duo got married, with their combined ages barely reaching 40.
Naturally, the former Lakers superstar often met with a lot of questions regarding his early marriage. And Kobe, a media darling, dealt with the question with the same nonchalant charm often associated with him.
Also Read: 17 Y/o Vanessa Bryant’s Classmates Once Refused to Believe Kobe Bryant Was Dating Her
What did Kobe have to say about his early marriage to Vanessa Bryant?
When asked why he rushed into a wedding, Kobe had an instant response that required barely any thought. The former Lakers superstar clearly had put a lot of thought into the decision and knew exactly why he did what he did.
“For us, we looked at it as a blessing. Being fortunate, because we are able to find a person that we’re going to spend the rest of our life with at a young age. You know, so this means we have many, many years to spend together” said Kobe when asked about why he “rushed” into marriage.
In light of the unfortunate events that led to Bryant’s untimely demise, his words ring a somber tone. The former Laker superstar passed away at the tender age of 41 before the couple even celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary.
A young Kobe is seen visibly happy with his choice in this video footage and talks about how he is best friends with his spouse, who he loved “tremendously”.
However, things weren’t always rosy in the Bryant household. There were even reports that suggested that Vanessa had filed for divorce in 2011, owing to Bryant being unfaithful. And this wasn’t the first instance of such allegations against Kobe.
In 2003, Kobe admitted to being unfaithful – and spent $4 million in an attempt at reconciliation.
How did Kobe spend $4 million in an attempt to reconcile with Vanessa?
After his admission of being unfaithful, Kobe spent $4 million on an 8-carat, purple diamond ring for Vanessa Bryant. An extremely expensive attempt at reconciliation indeed.
The instance occurred in 2003, an extremely dark year in Kobe Bryant’s life. In 2003, two years after his wedding, the then-Lakers star was accused of sexual assault by a 19-year-old. While the charges were eventually cleared, the fact that Bryant had been involved in an extramarital relationship stood.
With the high-profile nature of the couple, who were still relatively fresh into their marriage, the Bryants faced constant media trials. The issues affecting their relationship were public information. Despite being before the social media era, the Bryant scandal caused quite a furor.
The duo withstood the turmoil and presented themselves as a happy family, something the $4 million ring might have helped with. The couple went on to have four children and continued to be one of the most celebrated couples in basketball.
The Bryants were a tabloid sensation from Day 1. From the day a Laker prodigy decided to date a High Schooler, their relationship became a headline act. Teenage love, $4 million reconciliations, a spell that suggested an inevitable divorce – the Bryants saw it all.
The duo shall be linked forever, with Vanessa now leading the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation and keeping Kobe’s legacy afloat.
