On June 15, 2001, the Los Angeles Lakers beat Philadephia 76ers and won the 2001 NBA finals. It was the Lakers’ second consecutive title. After this victory, Kobe Bryant was found sitting alone in the shower and that photo became iconic. However, the story behind that photo is sad.
Bryant had had a relapse with his parents. They did not approve of her choice to marry Vanessa Laine (now Vanessa Bryant) as she was not African American. They did not participate in their children’s wedding. So due to these differences between them, Kobe’s father Joe Bryant didn’t participate in one game during the finals. Sports Illustrated’s Chris Ballard wrote about these issues in the Bryant family.
“The fall occurred in 2000, although neither Joe nor Kobe speak of it more publicly. At 21, Kobe got engaged to 18-year-old Vanessa Laine, whom she met on a video set when she was in high school. Joe has not approved. The problem, according to the Los Angeles Times, was that Joe was “uncomfortable about the fact that Vanessa, a Latin, was not African American, and is uncomfortable with [Kobe’s] selfless devotion to her. “
Ballard also wrote:When, at the end of that series, the Lakers triumphed and Kobe was spotted while holding the trophy in the shower and crying, everyone assumed it was for joy or relief. But later he said to the Times, “It was about my dad.”
The series was played in his hometown of Philly, but his parents refuse to participate. Keeping all his emotions aside, Bryant did his best on the field with an average of 24.6 PPG 7.8 RPG and 5.8 APG in the five-game series against the 76er.
Kobe Bryant and his troubled relationship with his father
In 2013, Bryant’s parents were auctioning off Kobe high school uniforms and two rings from the 2000 Lakers title. These items were donated to them by Kobe and he was hurt when he discovered the auction. He attempted to sue the auction company but later the matter was resolved. Her parents were reportedly using the money to buy a new home.
They later released a statement saying “We are sorry for our actions and statements relating to Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia. We apologize for any misunderstandings and unintentional pain that we have caused to our child and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years. “
In 2016, Bryant wrote to “Letter to my younger self” through Players Tribune. In that heartbreaking letter, he wrote “The most important advice I can give you is to make sure your parents remain parents and non-managers.” and ends by saying: “Trust me, fixing things from the start will avoid a lot of tears and heartache, some of which remain to this day.”
Kobe was a real family man and he could be seen after his retirement. He mentioned that he doesn’t have the time to catch up with the NBA because he’s busy spending time with his family. In most of his interviews, he kept talking about his daughters. This was the stark difference between the relationship with her children and her parents.
