Before he died in 2020, Kobe Bryant's estimated net worth was $600 million. However, despite being very rich, Bryant was cautious with his finances and did not give away cash easily like many of his fellow NBA superstars.
He treated his income as hard-earned personal money and refused to spoil the people around him with it, including his immediate family. Although Kobe did give some of it to his parents during his early years, it was always on his terms, not theirs. He did the same thing with his two elder sisters, Sharia and Shaya.
During a 2016 interview with ESPN's Ramona Shelburne , the five-time NBA champion talked about cutting off financial assistance to his sisters.
"It was tough for me to do," said Kobe. " But it's something you have to do, something you have to be very strong about."
Kobe's elder sisters both graduated from college and got their own jobs
After Kobe bought a home in the Pacific Palisades, his parents and sister Shaya moved with him. Meanwhile, the eldest Bryant child - Sharia, remained in Philadelphia as she was a college volleyball player at Temple University.
Sharia graduated with a degree in International Business from Temple and is a certified personal trainer. Meanwhile, Shaya went to La Salle Academy where she also finished a business course and ended up working for ARIA Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
They're very smart, college-educated women," Kobe added. "I'm really proud of them. They were able to get their own jobs, get their own lives, take care of themselves. Now they have a better sense of self, of who they are as people, instead of being resentful because they were relying on me."
Giving independence, not money
Two months after the ESPN interview, the Black Mamba explained his stand against spoiling his family with his riches. In his 'Letter to My Younger Self ' published in The Players Tribune, Kobe began by saying that as the family leader, he must 'invest in their future, and don't just give'.
"Purely giving material things to your siblings and friends may appear to be the right decision. You love them, and they were always there for you growing up, so it's only right that they should share in your success and all that comes with it…While you were feeling satisfied with yourself, you were slowly eating away at their own dreams and ambitions. You were adding material things to their lives, but subtracting the most precious gifts of all: independence and growth." wrote Kobe.
The Black Mamba never attended college, but somehow, he was wiser than what his educational background would suggest. His methods were different, but he always delivered the results, both on and off the court.
Related: How Kobe Bryant spent his millions outside of the game of basketball
Most Popular
Comments / 0