Television news crews descended upon Marina High School in Huntington Beach that spring morning. A helicopter flew overhead.
The previous day, a young Kobe Bryant had announced his engagement to a woman he declined to identify. Word quickly leaked it was an 18-year-old senior at the school.
Everyone wanted a glimpse of the mysterious fiancee whom the Lakers icon referred to as “my star.â€
Vanessa Laine had been swept into the spotlight overnight. She would soon marry Bryant and become something more than just a side note to his storied basketball career.
After all these years, it is probably inevitable that — much like her famous mate — Vanessa strikes a contradictory figure in the public eye, by turns glamorous and cartoonish, admired and disdained.
Her marriage has endured a sexual assault charge against her husband and divorce proceedings that were subsequently dropped. In darker times, she has been parodied on “Saturday Night Live†and dubbed “the new Yoko.â€
Through it all, the woman who had “ICE QN†license plates on her Mercedes has tried to keep the world at arm’s length, rarely granting interviews. But her life has been anything but private.
It was the summer of 1999 when Vanessa, an attractive but otherwise outwardly unassuming teenager from Orange County, was recruited to appear in videos for Snoop Dogg’s hip-hop trio Tha Eastsidaz and others. Her mother accompanied her to shoots.
Barely in his 20s, Bryant was also moving in music industry circles, trying to launch a side career that would never get far. He met Vanessa and, according to her friends, began sending roses to Marina High and picking her up after school.
“She’d bring pictures of Kobe to school and we’d be like ‘Omygod,’†classmate Monica Squadrilli told The Times in 2005. “Even then, a lot of people didn’t believe her.â€
The couple announced their engagement at her 18th birthday party and were married at a Catholic church in Dana Point in April 2001. Bryant’s parents did not attend.
His father, former NBA player Joe “Jellybean†Bryant, would later acknowledge they disapproved of their son’s new wife. Kobe said it was partly because she was a Latina.
Joe denied any racial animosity but said at the time: “Once he decided to get married, it’s his life now.â€
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Kobe Bryant with fiancee Vanessa Laine at the New Year’s Eve party hosted by Shaquille O’Neal at the Staples Center, Los Angeles on Dec. 31, 2000. (Ann Johansson / For The Times)
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Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine were married April 18, 2001. Later that year, the couple celebrated the Lakers’ NBA championship with a parade through the streets of downtown Los Angeles. (Anacleto Rapping / Los Angeles Times)
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Two years after the marriage, Kobe Bryant was accused of sexually assaulting a Colorado woman. During a news conference on July 18, 2003, Kobe Bryant admitted to adultery but denied the accusation. Vanessa Bryant stood by his side. (Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times)
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Vanessa Bryant’s $4-million, eight-carat purple diamond ring given to her by Kobe Bryant after it was revealed he had not been faithful. Vanessa Bryant showed it off at the Teen Choice Awards. (E.J. Flynn / AP)
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Kobe Bryant displays a tattoo he describes as a tribute to wife, Vanessa, in October 2003. (Douglas C. Pizac / AP)
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Kobe and Vanessa Bryant at the MTV Movie Awards at Sony Pictures Studios on June 5, 2004. (Frank Micelotta / Getty Images)
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Five years after they were married, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant were expecting their second child. Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant was born May 1, 2006. (Vince Bucci / Getty Images for Bodog.Com)
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Vanessa Bryant and her daughters wave to Kobe Bryant during the 2010 NBA All-Star game at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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In June, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, right, listen to homeless youth tell their stories before announcing the official formation of the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth and families in need. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant is gifted a passel of balloons as his daughter Gianna, right, wife Vanessa and daughter Natalia join him for a ceremony celebrating his passing of Michael Jordan as the third leading scorer in NBA history before a game against the OKC Thunder at Staples Center on Dec. 19, 2014. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant kisses wife Vanessa soon after leading the Lakers to a 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz while scoring 60 points in his last game as a Laker. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa after his last game at Staples Center on April 13, 2016. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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An 18-year-old Vanessa Laine at a Lakers game in June 2000. At the time, she was Kobe’s fiancee and a senior at Marina High in Huntington Beach. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
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Vanessa Bryant’s $4-million, eight-carat purple diamond ring given to her by Kobe Bryant after it was revealed he had not been faithful. Vanessa Bryant showed it off at the Teen Choice Awards. (E.J. Flynn / Associated Press)
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Kobe Bryant displays a tattoo he describes as a tribute to wife, Vanessa, in October 2003. (Douglas C. Pizac / Associated Press)
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Kobe and Vanessa Bryant at the MTV Movie Awards at Sony Pictures Studios on June 5, 2004.
(Frank Micelotta / Getty Images) 17/19
Five years after they were married, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant were expecting their second child. Gianna Maria-Onore Bryant was born May 1, 2006. (Vince Bucci / Getty Images for Bodog.com)
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Vanessa Bryant and her daughters wave to Kobe Bryant during the 2010 NBA All-Star game at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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In June, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant, right, listen to homeless youth tell their stories before announcing the official formation of the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of youth and families in need. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
In those early years, Vanessa adeptly played the role of NBA wife, attending games and accompanying Bryant to social occasions. She gave birth to a daughter, Natalia Diamante, in January 2003.
It took a while for negative headlines to pop up. There were occasional stories about her remaining aloof from other Lakers’ wives or behaving rudely with store clerks. The media criticized her for wearing a T-shirt that read “Fashionable [expletive]†to a game.
But that was merely a taste of things to come.
Six months after Natalia’s birth, Bryant was charged with sexual assault stemming from a complaint by a 19-year-old hotel worker in Colorado. In his initial interview with detectives, Bryant denied having sex with the woman the previous night and fretted about the impact her allegation could have on his basketball career and image. After the detectives pledged not to tell his Vanessa, he acknowledged consensual sex with the woman, according to a transcript of the interview later released in court documents.
“If it becomes public,†Bryant told the detectives, “I’ll lose my wife ... and all my endorsements.â€
The woman, who worked as a receptionist and concierge, told detectives that she gave Bryant a private tour of the lodge on June 30, 2003, then returned to his room where they consensually kissed, according to police records. She told the detectives that when she tried to leave, he blocked her path, bent her over a chair, held her by the neck and raped her, according to sheriff’s records.
Bryant remained adamant during the interview with detectives that the encounter was consensual and he ceased intercourse when the woman said no.
Two and a half weeks after the interview, Eagle County prosecutors charged Bryant with one count of felony sexual assault. He pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Later that day, Bryant sat next to Vanessa during a news conference at Staples Center.
“I didn’t force her to do anything against her will,†Bryant said of the woman. “I sit here in front of you guys furious at myself, disgusted at myself for making the mistake of adultery. I love my wife with all my heart. She’s my backbone.â€
During that time, Bryant continued to play for the Lakers. He commuted from Los Angeles to Colorado on private jets for court hearings, sometimes missing practice or other team events. He called the basketball court “an escape†in the midst of the legal proceedings.
On Aug. 10, 2004, the woman filed a civil lawsuit against Bryant in U.S. District Court in Denver for sexual assault. The complaint sought unspecified damages for pain and suffering.
The criminal case against Bryant abruptly collapsed three weeks after the civil filing when prosecutors asked Eagle County District Judge Terry Ruckriegle to dismiss the case because the woman didn’t want to proceed.
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Kobe Bryant signs the court late into the night at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2/56
Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa long after his last game at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 3/56
Kobe Bryant leaves the court for the last time as a Laker, heading to the locker room after scoring 60 points and leading the team to a 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 4/56
Kobe Bryant is all smiles after his final game at Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 5/56
Kobe Bryant shares a laugh with former teammate Derek Fisher on the court after scoring 60 points in his last game as a Laker at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 6/56
Kobe Bryant greets Lamar Odom after his final game at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 7/56
Kobe Bryant kisses his wife Vanessa after his final game.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 8/56
Kobe Bryant walks off the court after his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 9/56
Lakers Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of the game.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 10/56
Kobe Bryant waves to the crowd as he walks off the court for the last time at Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Lakers Kobe Bryant pauses for a moment as confetti streams down following his last game at the Staples Center. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant salutes the crowd at the end of his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 13/56
Kobe Bryant feels the love of the fans at Staples Center following his final game.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 14/56
Lakers Kobe Bryant and A.C. Green after his final game at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 15/56
Kobe Bryant thanks the crowd after his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 16/56
Kobe Bryant waves goodbye to the crowd after his final game at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 17/56
Balloons and confetti fall after Kobe Bryant’s last game
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 18/56
A security guard stnds alone on the court after Kobe Bryant’s last game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 19/56
Los Angeles City Hall is decorated with Lakers’ purple and gold lights for Kobe Bryant’s last game.
(Robert Lachman / Los Angeles Times) 20/56
Kobe Bryant is mobbed as he scores 60-points in his final NBA game at the Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 21/56
Kobe Bryant gets a slap from comedian George Lopez after making a three-pointer in his final game.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 22/56
Kobe Bryant watches as the ball hits the bottom of the net during his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 23/56
Kobe Bryant stretches out as he makes a basket during his final game as a Laker on April 12 at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 24/56
Kobe Bryant drives late in the final minutes of the game at Staples Center.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 25/56
Kanye West and Jay Z greet each other before Kobe Bryant’s final game.
(Christina House / For The Times) 26/56
Kobe Bryant drives the ball in the third quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 27/56
Kobe Bryant tries to steal the ball in his last game as a Laker at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 12.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 28/56
Kobe Bryant shakes hands with Shaquille O’Neal at his final game at Staples Center on April 13.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 29/56
The Weeknd and girlfriend Bella Hadid arrive for Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 30/56
Kobe Bryant is stripped of the ball by Jazz guard Rodney Hood during first half action at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 31/56
Kobe Bryant drives to the basket during the first half of his final NBA game.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 32/56
Lamar Odom attends Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For The Times) 33/56
Lakers star Kobe Bryant, center, heads to the locker room after scoring 22 points in the first half of his final game on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 34/56
Kobe Bryant takes a shot in the first quarter of his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 35/56
Kobe Bryant blocks a shot by Trevor Booker in his final game at Staples Center on Wednesday.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 36/56
Front row fans, including Jack Nicholson cheer Kobe Bryant after he hits a shot during first half action against the Jazz at Staples Center.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 37/56
LOS ANGELES-CA-APRIL 13, 2016: Kobe thanks the crowd before his final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For the Times) 38/56
Kobe Bryant is welcomed onto the court for his farewell game at Staples Center on April 13.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 39/56
Kobe Bryant acknowledges the Staples Center crowd during a pregame ceremony.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 40/56
Kobe Bryant with Magic Johnson before Kobe plays his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 41/56
Surrounded by cameras Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson embrace before Bryant’s final game at the Staples Center Wednesday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Kobe Bryant waits for introductions before his final game at the Staples Center Wednesday, April 13. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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T-shirts await fans who attend Kobe Bryant’s final game at Staples Center.
(Christina House / For the Times) 44/56
A young girl, sporting Kobe Bryant’s original No. 8 Lakers jersey, bounces a ball on the court before the future Hall-of-Famer’s final game.
(Christina House / For the Times) 45/56
The Lakers store at Staples Center was all about Kobe Bryant and his merchandise on the day of his final NBA game.
(Christina House / For the Times) 46/56
Fans gather outside Staples Center before Kobe Bryant’s final game in a Laker uniform.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 47/56
Rock star “Flea†rehearses the national anthem before Kobe Bryant’s last game on April 13, 2016, as players warm-up. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans gathered outside Staples Center ahead of Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Lakers.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 49/56
Lakers fans gather outside Staples Center before the final game of Kobe Bryant’s career.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 50/56
Chick Hearn Court is packed as fans descend on Staples Cener to witness Kobe Bryant play his last game as a Los Angeles Laker against the Utah Jazz.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 51/56
Lakers fans get a Kobe chant going outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before Laker great Kobe Bryant’s final game on Wednesday.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 52/56
Members of a group of Kobe Bryant fans who flew in from China, including Iris Hong of Beijing, right, get excited outside Staples Center for the player’s last game Wednesday.
(Christina House / For the Los Angeles Times) 53/56
Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center before his final game Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) 54/56
Kobe Bryant fans swarm to Staples Center in Los Angeles to show their love for the Laker great at his last game Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles TImes) 55/56
Kobe Bryant footwear is on display as the Laker Girls arrive for Wednesday night’s game, the basketball star’s last.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles TImes) 56/56
Fans sign a giant card for Kobe Bryant outside Staples Center in Los Angeles before his final game Wednesday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles TImes) The civil case never went to trial when seven months later, the sides announced that the matter “has been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.†The 20-month saga was finally over.
Even as prosecutors dropped the charge, much was made of the fact that Bryant bought Vanessa an eight-carat purple diamond ring with an estimated value of $4 million. Recently, in a “Showtime†documentary, he wondered if stress from the incident contributed to her suffering a miscarriage.
The following year brought more drama when Vanessa accused Lakers forward Karl Malone of acting inappropriately toward her at a game. The allegation led to an angry telephone exchange between Bryant and Malone, who denied making a pass but apologized for saying anything that might have offended her.
By then, Vanessa’s pop culture persona had fully aligned with that of her husband.
He was the basketball superstar revered for his immense talent and competitive drive, yet never fully embraced by fans in the way Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan had been.
She was an equally polarizing figure. Some people viewed her as strong and protective of her family. They saw her as a powerful influence on one of Los Angeles’ biggest stars.
Others criticized her for confronting fans at Lakers games or cursing at reporters outside the locker room. It did not help her reputation when a sports magazine referred to the Malone incident as “Vanessa-gate†and columnists compared her to Yoko Ono, the wife of John Lennon who was once blamed for breaking up the Beatles.
Bad press continued in 2009 when a former housekeeper sued the Bryants, alleging Vanessa had verbally abused and humiliated her while she worked at the couple’s Newport Coast home.
The Bryants denied the allegations and subsequently countersued Maria Jimenez, saying she violated a confidentiality agreement by discussing their private affairs in public.
Two years later, Vanessa filed for divorce, citing “irreconcilable differences.â€
The Lakers had previously given Bryant a contract extension worth $83.5 million, so there was considerable speculation about whether Vanessa had signed a prenuptial agreement.
The couple issued a joint statement saying that they intended to share custody of their children — a second daughter, Gianna Maria, was born in 2006 — and that they had “resolved all the issues of their divorce privately.â€
On the day of that infamous 2003 news conference, the only comment from Vanessa came by way of a statement in which she referred to handling the situation “within our marriage.â€
A fiercely guarded woman living under the microscope, she would later deal with her troubled marriage in the same behind-the-scenes manner.
Rumors began to percolate that the couple was attempting a reconciliation. Vanessa made an appearance at Staples Center in early 2012 and again during an exhibition game the following season. The media noted her glittery shoes.
In January 2013, she announced on Instagram the divorce had been called off. Bryant confirmed as much on Facebook.
As her husband’s basketball career neared its end, she once again became a fixture behind the Lakers bench. Yet, while he grew increasingly open with reporters and the public, she remained circumspect.
When Bryant announced in November his plans to retire, Vanessa released a brief statement.
“I’m so excited to see what God has in store for us as a family now that one chapter is closing and new ones are opening,†she wrote.
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