NBA legend Kobe Bryant is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $600 million from his various wealth streams, including his former salary as a player and from a multitude of endorsement deals, according to Celebrity Net Worth. As The Inquisitr reported, Bryant reportedly died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California on Sunday morning.
He Played In The NBA For 20 Years
Bryant started his career in the NBA at just 17-years-old, when he was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. According to the Los Angeles Times, his salary skyrocketed every year. As a rookie player in the 1996 to 1997 season, Kobe earned $1.015 million. His skill earned him a bump in the 1999-2000 season, when he received $9 million. His salary grew every year, and in 2013, he signed a two-year, $48.5 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers and finished his final season at 37-years-old. He reportedly earned approximately $328 million over the course of his career in the NBA.
He Also Earned Money From Various Endorsement Deals
Bryant also worked with several huge brands throughout his career, earning a large chunk of his net worth through endorsement deals.
Sportswear brand Nike signed Bryant to a $40 million contract, and according to The Balance Careers, he earned roughly $8 million a year through his deal.
Fast food brand McDonald’s signed Bryant to a $10 million deal in 2001, although the chain opted to drop Bryant following assault charges in 2003, according to Bleacher Report. Celebrity Net Worth estimates that Bryant earned about $280 million of his total career earnings from endorsement deals alone.
Investments Contributed To His Net Worth
Bryant didn’t only profit from endorsement deals. Back in 2014, the basketball star invested in the sports drink company BodyArmor for $6 million. For that sum, Bryant purchased a 10 percent equity stake in the company. About four years later, soft drink giant Coca-Cola obtained a stake in the sports drink company that bumped up the total valuation. Bryant’s investment of less than $10 million ended up earning him about $200 million with the change. Bryant also had endorsement deals with companies from all types of industries, including Nintendo and Turkish Airlines.
The survival of Bryant’s marriage contributed to his net worth as well. The former Los Angeles Lakers player had been married to Vanessa Bryant for just over 10 years when she filed for divorce in 2011. As the couple had no prenuptial agreement, Bryant would have been required to pay anywhere from $100 to $150 million in a settlement had they gotten divorced. However, the duo ended up reconciling and Bryant kept his elevated net worth.