Kobe’s wife inherited his assets when he died in 2020
Vanessa Bryant, the wife of the Los Angeles Lakers’ legend Kobe, has been accused of favoring white people over black people by a prominent internet personality.
Kobe, who was black, died in 2020 after an helicopter crashed whilst attempting to fly in poor conditions leading to the deaths of nine including his daughter, Gianna. As a result, his wealth, including a $600m USD estate, passed to his wife.
Shortly after she announced a scheme to help young people in their academic and athletic careers, she has come under fire by Dr. Umar Johnson, who often speaks on issues facing black people in the United States, during which he said she’s favoring white people.
“Vanessa inherited his wealth,” Johnson, a psychologist, said to The Joe Budden Podcast. “Is she using any of those money to do good to the black community? Absolutely not.
“Vanessa Bryant just started an initiative with three predominantly white colleges. Some kind of a sports initiative with Kobe’s money and Kobe’s name.”
Vanessa and Nike bring back Kobe’s shoes
Part of Kobe’s massive fortune was earned outside of the actual sport of basketball as he became a brand ambassador for Nike and one of the first megastars to sign a shoe deal with the firm.
So, on almost the fourth anniversary of his death, the company and his wife have announced they will re-launch some of the signature lines made famous by the sports legend who won five NBA rings.
“A legacy not left up to fate,” Bryant said on Instagram. “But meticulously crafted through dedication and hard work? That’s Mamba.”
During a promotional video, Nike choose several words to describe the shooting guard’s personality, ethos and approach to his NBA career.
“‘Fearless’, Relentless’, ‘Passion’, ‘Obsession’, and ‘Resilience'”, said the apparel company as they explained how he formulated and developed his “Mamba Mentality” image.
