Kobe started dating his wife when she was 17 and still in high school. He was 21. He didn’t know her from school or anywhere prior. He would send tons of flowers to her at school and pick her up in sports cars. She dropped out of public school because there was too much media and attention on her. They dated for 6 months and and he proposed the minute she turned 18. They got married one year later.
Wherever, it’s only statutory rape and a little bit of grooming. Friends say they were madly in love and that’s why she didn’t need a prenup. I could more easily overlook his shady predatory beginnings if that was the love of his life. However, it turned out he was a serial cheater. After the rape case, he promised his wife and the world he won’t cheat and learned his lesson. Other players wives told her of his cheating leading to her hiring investigators and filing for divorce around 2011. He had over a hindered mistresses. One rumor connected him to an 18 year old Laker Dancer.
Back to the rape case, here’s a fact that no one ever mentions, despite him being guilty or not. The accuser was 18 years and 13 days old! He was almost 25 at the time. He claimed it was consensual. There was blood from the accused on his shirt, bruises on her neck where he strangled her “my hands are strong”, and he said he assumed consent (not the same as consent).
He either was very careful to check girls IDs, and if they were 18 and a day it’s ok, or he for sure slept with underage girls as well.
Finally, it makes me sick that he tried to rebrand as “Girl Dad”. Dude showed entitlement and predatory behavior for a long time. The last place he needed to be was at young girls basketball games. If he didn’t die I know he would have used that setting and his position of power and status to groom more young girls. Guarantee.
PS he game himself his own corny nick name and alter ego like Chris Gaines or something.
Correct she was 17