Kobe Bryant and the NBA go hand in hand. It is hard to discuss basketball legends without the lifetime Laker's name popping up. In recent news, Bryant and wife Vanessa lived up their valentines day like nobody else. By up, we mean he set to the skies in his one of kind customer helicopter. These reports surfaced a few short weeks after it was announced that Kobe's Orange County home took yet another hit on the open market.
Before his time as a professional, Kobe earned nation wide attention at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Philadelphia. He was the first freshman to play on Lower Merion's varsity team in decades. During his time there, he attracted college recruiters from the top colleges all across America.
In the end, though, Kobe skipped college all together and entered the 1996 NBA Draft. He was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, and very quickly traded to the LA Lakers.
Now, Kobe's Laker relationship is the subject matter of legends, and only recently has it started to look like the brute is winding down. According to TMZ Sports, Kobe is still out after shoulder surgery, but that didn't stop him from enjoying his valentines day in style:
"His rotator is still jacked up, but his rotors are doing just fine -- which is why Kobe Bryant broke out the helicopter for a special Valentine's Day date with his wife Vanessa. The two took to the skies for a little romantic V-Day getaway over the weekend...Legend has it, Kobe has been using the 'copter for years to go from his home in Orange County to the Staples Center in L.A. so he can beat freeway traffic."
Once an athlete is able to buy a helicopter, it is pretty much a clear message that they have made it to the upper echelons of society. According to the LA Times, though, that hasn't stopped Bryant's million-dollar home from dropping in value in the open market:
"Kobe Bryant's longevity isn't the only thing taking a hit these days. The Los Angeles Lakers star, who is expected to miss an extended amount of time, has adjusted the asking price on his home in Newport Coast to $6.995 million, down from $7.599 million. Among highlights is an 850-square-foot gym, a hair salon and a movie theater complete with a lobby, tiered seating and a wet bar. A wood-paneled office/library features a custom shark tank."
What do you think about the situation? Is Bryant finally going to retire? Let us know in the comment section below.
