What was Kobe Bryant's net worth at his death? NBA legend's fortune and why Vanessa Bryant did NOT renew Nike deal
Kobe Bryant had fruitful associations with various brands and organizations throughout his career, but his association with Nike was something that everyone still remembers. However, it seems Bryant’s partnership with the world-renowned sports brand is coming to an end a year after his tragic death on January 26, 2020.
The brand has confirmed that Kobe’s widow Vanessa Bryant and his estate have declined to renew his endorsement deal, according to USA Today. The company issued a statement regarding the matter and said that its “contractual relationship” with the late NBA legend has ended. But the company has reiterated that Kobe still remains a “deeply loved member of the Nike family.” It was recently revealed that Bryant might start his own shoe company and his wife Vanessa might be thinking of doing the same that's why the contract has not been renewed.
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The deal with Nike played an important role in Bryant’s earnings, so let’s take a look at the player’s fortune.
Career earnings and endorsements
The legendary basketball player earned over $328 million in his 20-year career with Los Angeles Lakers. Adidas signed him during the initial years of his career and his contract was worth $48 million for a period of six years.
He shifted to Nike with an initial four-year contract in 2003. In 2006, his first signature shoe ‘Zoom Kobe 1’ was released. Despite most of his contracts getting canceled in the wake of sexual assault allegations in 2003, Nike signed him to a 4-year deal that $10 million per year.
Major investments
He also earned approximately $350 million from endorsements for a total of $680 million in NBA career earnings.
In March 2014, Kobe purchased a 10% equity stake in BodyArmour, a sports drink, for $6 million. The company went on to earn $400 million in 2018. Meanwhile, in 2018, Coca-Cola purchased a stake in the company and it was valued at $2 billion. The deal made Bryant’s investment worth $200 million.
On the other hand, in 2016, he and his business partner Jeff Stibel launched a company named Bryant-Stibel with $100 million funding. The duo invested in companies such as LegalZoom, The Players Tribune, and Juicero.
Achievements
In an interview, Kobe once said, “You can do some phenomenal things individually, but they’ll never reach their full potential unless you do them collectively.”
Bryant achieved a lot of success throughout his career and lifted the NBA trophy five times. He is still the youngest ever player to feature in an All-Star game. During his career, Bryant hit 33,643 points, made 8,378 free throws, and completed 4,010 turnovers. All three are records for his position. He was also an integral part of the teams that won gold medals at the Olympics in 2008 and 2012.
What was Kobe Bryant’s net worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Bryant’s net worth at the time of his death was $600 million. The main source of income for Kobe's estate is from Nike shoes and apparel. Vanessa Bryant and his daughters inherited his estate.
Vannesa Bryant honored her late husband Kobe Bryant by promoting a new book that he helped create and publish through his Granity Studios. Two months after the NBA legend’s death, his 37-year-old widow took to Instagram on March 31 to share a promo video clip showing the cover of 'The Wizenard Series: Season One' written by Wesley King. Her net worth is now estimated to be around $600 million, as per calculations after Kobe's death.