Kobe Bryant Prenup: Without Agreement, Kobe Stands to Lose On and Off Court

Lakers star Kobe Bryant has met few opponents he couldn’t outplay on the basketball court. Lately, however, he’s been learning that there are other arenas in which his prodigious talents come to nothing.

First, Bryant had his best chance for another NBA title taken away when David Stern nixed a trade that would’ve sent Chris Paul to the Lakers. Now, according to TMZ, Bryant’s wife Vanessa has filed for divorce, a move that could cost Bryant untold millions.

When the couple married over 10 years ago, Kobe was already a four-year NBA vet and budding star, but he opted to forgo a prenuptial agreement. Now, that decision could (will) come back to haunt him as Vanessa may walk away with half of her (soon-to-be) ex-husband’s enormous wealth and assets as part of the divorce settlement.

From Forbes:

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Bryant was the second highest-paid athlete in the world this year with earnings of $53 million. He has banked $200 million in salary from the Lakers during his career and another $250 million from endorsements which currently include Nike, Smart Car, Turkish Airlines and others. Bryant is likely worth in the neighborhood of $300 million after the tax man, his agent and others have taken their cut.

Bryant’s future earnings potential is still strong. He is the NBA’s highest paid player and the Lakers owe Bryant $79 million over the next three seasons under his current contract.

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The loss of both the marriage and the money appears to be in Kobe’s own head, as TMZ’s report states that Vanessa’s move was based on her belief that Kobe has continued to cheat on her. Many thought the couple would split in 2003 when Kobe was charged with sexual assault in Colorado, but Vanessa stayed with him through that battle.

Now, on the eve of his 16th NBA season, Kobe is scrambling to save his marriage (for which goal, TMZ says, he’ll do “whatever it takes”). It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which this level of distraction wouldn’t be reflected in Bryant’s play, especially now that advancing age has made it harder for him to take over games on a nightly basis.

It’s anybody’s guess which seemingly imminent loss Kobe will feel more keenly: the end of his marriage, the reduced access to his two children (Vanessa has asked for joint custody), the departure of enormous amounts of his money, or the dwindling of his hopes of tying Michael Jordan’s total with six NBA titles.

Although there are many factors hurting that last one—especially a Lakers roster that looks less and less like a contender in the deep and talented Western Conference—the travails of the divorce are sure to be seen as a major contributor if Kobe’s championship dreams fall short again.