Kobe Bryant Divorce: Recent Infidelities Behind Split?
Soon after news of NBA star Kobe Bryant’s divorce was announced, his recent alleged adultery was reported as the cause.
TMZ reported that Bryant had cheated on soon-to-be ex-wife Vanessa with “multiple women.” A source told the publication that he had committed adultery “very recently.”
The couple overcame a highly publicized case involving Kobe’s adultery in 2003 when a 19-year-old Colorado lodge & spa employee charged Kobe with sexual assault. The Lakers’ star admitted to committing adultery in a press conference while holding the hand of his wife.
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Kobe admitted to consensual relations with the woman, but denied any sexual assault. Vanessa stood by his claims publicly.
"I know that my husband has made a mistake- the mistake of adultery," Vanessa said in a previous statement. "He and I will have to deal with that within our marriage, and we will do so. He is not a criminal."
TMZ reported that Vanessa still loved Kobe, but could not deal with the recent acts of adultery.
With a recent string of celebrities filing for divorce, including NFL player-turned-analyst Deion Sanders, one could question the sanctity of marriage in Hollywood.
Dr. Juli Flattery, Family Psychologist for Focus on The Family, told The Christian Post that she is not surprised at celebrities’ complacent approach to divorce.
“I would think that for many people it’s not a big surprise. A lot of marriages in Hollywood are just based on physical attraction and star power and money,” Flattery said. “Those things are not going to hold marriages together. The commitment of marriage is not talked about and valued.”
However, some seemed taken aback by the announcement. Bryant’s teammate, Pau Gasol, was surprised when a Los Angeles Times reporter recently questioned him about the dissolved union.
“I didn’t know anything about it. This is the first time I hear,” Gasol said. “That’s something I wasn’t aware of. It’s out of my hands.”
It does not seem the couple will be speaking publicly about their divorce anytime soon. Their representative released statement asking for privacy for the best interest of their children.
“The Bryants have resolved all issues incident to their divorce privately with the assistance of counsel and a judgment dissolving their marital status will be entered in 2012,” the representative said. “We ask that in the interest of our young children and in light of the upcoming holiday season the public respect our privacy during this most difficult time.”
