Vanessa Bryant Criticized For Not Using Her Inheritance From Late Husband Kobe Bryant To Benefit The Black Community

Vanessa Bryant, the late NBA star Kobe Bryant’s widow, has been criticized for not doing more for the black community. After Kobe’s death, she inherited his wealth, which included a $600 million estate.

During his career, Kobe made millions from his time at the NBA, where he played as a shooting guard and won five NBA rings.

He also made millions through partnerships. Kobe became a brand ambassador for Nike and was among the first stars to sign a shoe deal before he retired in April 2016.

On January 26, 2020, Kobe, along with their 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, and seven others, died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. A jury later awarded Vanessa damages after police leaked photos of the crash site.

When he died, Nike decided to relaunch several of their signature lines made famous by Kobe. The brand made a promotional video discussing Kobe’s personality and dedication to the game.

Since their deaths, Vanessa has announced a program to help the youth achieve their academic and career goals.

Kobe advocated for the youth in the past, even doing a promotional video about investing in the kids “because they are our future.”

After retiring, he made it his mission to provide children with a positive sports experience. He credits this mission with becoming a father.

“I want to make sure that they’re growing up in a world better than the one we are currently living in,” he said.

After the announcement of Vanessa’s new program, Dr. Umar Johnson, a prominent psychologist, appeared on The Joe Budden Podcast to criticize the plan.

“Is she using any of those money to do good to the black community? Absolutely not,” Johnson said. “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.”

Kobe talked about his legacy frequently. On Instagram, he posted, “A legacy not left up to fate. But meticulously crafted through dedication and hard work, That’s Mamba.”

Vanessa was recently in the news when her mother claimed that she had evicted her from her home.