Keith Allison (CC) / @DrinkBODYARMOR
Heavily paid by the Lakers during his NBA career, Kobe Bryant also knew how to grow his fortune with well-meaning investments. One of them, who saw him do business with 2 men in the shadows, enabled him to receive no less than $400M!
With total earnings of $328 million in salaries during his 20 seasons with the Lakers, he ranks as the 6th highest paid player in NBA history. As saying that Kobe Bryant had no complaints about his salary during his career. But rather than being satisfied with these incomes obtained thanks to his talent on the floor, the legend of Purple & Gold has brilliantly placed them.
Formidable as a player, the Black Mamba retained this label in the middle of high finance. In addition to his lucrative sponsorship deals with major brands, he indeed displayed some investment expertise. His biggest hit in the field is undoubtedly his entry into the capital of BodyArmorwhich enabled it to realize an XXL capital gain in the space of… 7 years.
The geniuses who offered $400M on a plate in Kobe
In 2014, while recovering from one of the many injuries that marked the end of his career, Kobe discovered BodyArmor, a startup specializing in energy drinks. The latter then distinguishes itself from the giant Gatorade by guaranteeing a product without sweeteners or colorings, and then simply begins to make itself known. Neither one nor two, Bryant joins Mike Repole and Lance Collins in this adventure:
BODYARMOR leaders @KobeBryantMike Repole & Lance Collins link for a strategy meeting today #UpgradeYourSportsDrink pic.twitter.com/RlZo2pQ1kn
— BODYARMOR (@DrinkBODYARMOR) March 26, 2014
Both specialized in the beverage industry, the two businessmen then offered Vino 10% of the company for 6 million dollars. A significant sum, but that the star back pays without batting an eyelid in view of the CVs of his new associates. Former owners of Glacéau and Fuze Tea, the latter had previously sold their companies to Coca-Cola for a total of approximately 4.5 billion dollars.
A major economic success, which was ultimately repeated a few years later with BodyArmor. Coca-Cola took full control of the brand in November 2021 for a cumulative amount… of $5.9 billion. If he was therefore unable to take advantage of it because of his tragic and fatal accident which occurred a few months earlier, Kobe thus brought in 400 million dollars to his heirs!
By trusting the experts Mike Repole and Lance Collins, founders of BodyArmor, Kobe Bryant offered immense financial comfort to his descendants. A new witness to the success met by the late Mamba wherever he set foot!
