Originally posted on January 27, 2020 @ 9:44 am
Kobe Bryant was a professional American Athlete who played in the NBA for over two decades. His name is synonymous with the Los Angeles Lakers, a team he went on to spend the entirety of his career at. With five championships under his belt, Kobe Bryant is recognized as one of the greatest players to have ever graced the beautiful game. A few hours ago, news broke that the athlete was involved in an accident. Did he lose his life? Find out right here as we follow the breaking news and keep you up to date with all the latest developments.
Kobe Bryant’s Net Worth
The late professional basketball player Kobe Bryant started professional career in 1996. From his two-decades-long professional tenure, he definitely earned a hefty amount of money.
According to Express and Celebrity Net Worth, Kobe Bryant’s net worth was $500 million, during the time of his death. As per Forbes, he made $680 million, only from the salary and endorsements. He was the highest-paid player in the NBA in the last six years.
Quick look at his earnings and salary in the past days; back in 1996, he made $48 million from the six years endorsement deals with Adidas. His salary from L.A. Lakers Season was $1,015,000, $1,167,000, and $1,319,000 in 1997, 1998, and 1999 respectively.
Kobe’s salary skyrocketed in 2000 as a $9 million salary and $10,130,000 in the coming year. In 2001, he signed a $10 million endorsement contract with McDonald’s. The tenure of the sponsorship was for five years.
Kobe’s annual income in 2004 was $26.1 million, $28.8 million in 2005, $31 million in 2006, $32.9 million in 2007, $39 million in 2008, $45 million in 2009, $48 million in 2010, $53 million in 2011, $52.3 million in 2012, $61.9 million in 2013, and $64.5 million in 2014.
In 2015, Kobe sold his Newport Coast house for $6.1 million. His endorsement earning in the year was $26 million, and his salary was $23.5 million. In total, he made $49.5 million in 2015.
In the following year, Kobe made $50 million; $25 million from Los Angeles Lakers (salary), and $25 million from endorsement deals.
What happened to Kobe Bryant?
On the 26th of January 2020, news broke that NBA legend Kobe Bryant had been involved in an accident. The athlete and five other people were traveling from Orange County in a helicopter over the region of Calabasas when the aircraft crashed. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported that the incident occurred around 10 am along Las Virgenes Road.
Another source, a man who was attending church at the moment, said that he saw a large fireball dropping from the sky. He watched the helicopter disappear into the morning fog before he heard an explosion. Sources say that there were no survivors. Amongst the people who lost their lives were the basketball star and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna. Kobe Bryant passed away aged 41 years old, leaving behind a wife and three other children.
A host of other legendary basketball players such as Shaquille O’Neal, who hung up his boots back in 2011, came out to offer their condolences and support for Kobe’s family. The Federal Aviation Administration of America released a statement saying that the helicopter that crashed was a Sikorsky S-76. They are still investigating the cause of the crash at the moment. We will keep you up to date with all the latest developments.