Vanessa Bryant Still Planning to Divorce Kobe Despite V-Day Kiss
Vanessa Bryant still plans to split with her husband, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant, despite the couple's passionate kiss on Valentine's Day.
Vanessa Bryant was present at her estranged husband's game Tuesday, cheering him on at the Staples Center as the Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks. A picture was taken of the two while there, and reports indicated that the two kissing might lead to reconciliation.
Previous rumors of reconciliation may have been very highly exaggerated, however.
An Orange County family court where the Bryants' handle their divorce proceedings has records of all actions being taken with the divorce. Currently, there have been no new filings, which means that the move to split the couple- and Kobe's sizeable estate- is still underway.
The couple will still divide the $150 million in assets, according to The Los Angeles Times. Vanessa will be receiving nearly $18.8 million in property alone.
That lump sum still does not include the $75 million she is legally entitled to under California divorce law. Because the two were married for over 10 years and did not have a prenuptial agreement, she could receive up to half the fortune.
In addition to the property and monetary gain, Vanessa could receive spousal and child support- currently, they have agreed to joint custody of their two daughters, Natalia and Gianna.
Chris Melcher, a divorce attorney not associated with the Bryants or their case, told The Los Angeles Times that many times, couples try to resolve their issues prior to a divorce being finalized. The instances of this happening are higher when the two have children, according to the attorney.
Kobe Bryant's representatives have not spoken out as to whether the two could eventually reconcile.
The divorce papers filed state that "irreconcilable differences" was the reason for the split. The divorce should be finalized sometime around June of this year, according to Daily Mail.