NBA Players That Tried To Date Vanessa Bryant Since Kobe’s Death

“Whispers After Tragedy: The NBA Stars Rumored to Have Courted Vanessa Bryant”

When Kobe Bryant passed away on that tragic January day in 2020, the world stopped to mourn the loss of a basketball icon, a father, and a husband. At the heart of the grief stood Vanessa Bryant — poised, heartbroken, and determined to honor the legacy of the man she loved. The world rallied around her, offering their support, admiration, and endless condolences. But not all attention was born from sympathy.

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Behind the scenes, whispers began swirling—rumors suggesting that some NBA players were doing more than just lending a shoulder. They were lingering too long, appearing too often, showing too much… interest.

It was innocent at first. Public support, touching tributes, heartfelt Instagram posts. But as the weeks turned into months, a pattern began to emerge. These weren’t just fans of Kobe. These were former teammates, rivals, and friends—men who suddenly found reasons to be near Vanessa Bryant.

And the internet noticed.

Shaquille O’Neal: From Teammate to Protector?

Big Shaq has always been larger than life—on the court and off. His past, filled with charisma, high-profile romances, and scandal, painted him as a complicated lover but a genuine soul. After his divorce from Shaunie O’Neal, Shaq openly admitted his flaws, writing in his autobiography that his wandering eye contributed to the end of his marriage.

When Kobe passed, Shaq mourned deeply—not just for his teammate but for the Bryant family. The once-fractured relationship between him and Kobe had healed, and Shaq made it clear: he would look after Vanessa and her girls in any way he could.

His emotional tributes, heartfelt interviews, and sudden, frequent presence around Vanessa didn’t go unnoticed. The internet started connecting dots. Was it just respect, or was it romantic admiration? People speculated. Shaq always admired strong women, and Vanessa, with her quiet dignity and fierce strength, seemed to fit the mold.

Whether it was genuine support or the beginnings of something more, the whispers began.

Karl Malone: The Cowboy Comment That Crossed the Line

Long before Kobe’s tragic passing, Karl Malone had already overstepped with Vanessa. Back in 2004, during a Lakers game, Vanessa, noticing Malone’s cowboy hat, asked jokingly, “What are you hunting?” His response? “I’m hunting little Mexican girls.”

Malone knew exactly who she was—Kobe’s wife. When confronted by Vanessa for hitting on her, Malone didn’t apologize. Instead, he asked if she liked him.

Kobe was furious. The incident shattered their relationship and exposed Malone’s shocking disregard. It was the kind of reckless behavior that aligned with Malone’s history, which included fathering a child with a 13-year-old when he was 20 and later denying paternity.

So when Kobe passed, the question wasn’t if Malone would try again—it was whether he’d dare to.

Tony Parker: The Betrayal Expert

Tony Parker once seemed like the golden boy of the NBA—until his marriage to Eva Longoria unraveled in dramatic fashion. Hundreds of texts between Parker and a teammate’s wife, Erin Barry, were discovered, shattering his clean image. If he could betray his friend Brent Barry like that, what stopped him from reaching out to Kobe’s widow?

After Kobe’s death, Parker expressed his condolences. But rumors suggested his admiration for Vanessa might not have been purely respectful. Given his history, some couldn’t help but wonder if Parker—now divorced and out of the spotlight—had quietly tried to rekindle his relevance through a connection with Vanessa.

There’s no hard evidence. But Parker’s past makes speculation easier to believe.

Dwight Howard: Old Tension, New Rumors

Dwight and Kobe never got along. The Lakers beef was public—Kobe once famously called him “soft.” But some insiders hinted that the tension might’ve been deeper than basketball.

Whispers suggested Dwight had taken a liking to Vanessa during their time in LA. Whether that was true or not, his return to the Lakers after Kobe’s death raised eyebrows. He was suddenly back in the fold, and his expressions of support for Vanessa reignited the theory that perhaps he had always admired her—and not just from a distance.

With a chaotic romantic history and multiple children with different women, Dwight’s reputation didn’t help curb the rumors.

LeBron James: The Untouchable?

LeBron has long been celebrated for his loyalty to his wife, Savannah. For over two decades, their marriage appeared solid—a rarity in the celebrity world. But even he wasn’t immune to gossip.

DJ Akademiks stirred the pot during a livestream, suggesting LeBron and rapper Drake had gone on “two-mans”—slang for joint romantic outings with women. One of those rumored women? Vanessa Bryant.

The evidence was thin, but the speculation thickened, especially after LeBron’s visible support for Vanessa and her family. Was it just respect for Kobe’s widow, or something deeper?

No scandals have ever stuck to LeBron—but even the King can’t silence all rumors.

Pau Gasol: The Gentle Giant’s Devotion

Pau Gasol’s bond with Kobe was special. After Kobe’s death, his dedication to Vanessa and the Bryant girls became touching—trips, birthday parties, holidays. He referred to Kobe’s daughters as his nieces.

People began to wonder: Was Pau simply honoring his late friend, or was there something more?

A breakup with his longtime fiancée back in 2011—timed eerily close to Kobe and Vanessa’s temporary split—sparked even more whispers. The internet speculated that perhaps Vanessa had something to do with that too. But Pau never wavered in his public affection and loyalty to the Bryant family.

Among all the men on the list, Pau’s intentions seemed the purest.

Derek Fisher: Friendly or Flirtatious?

Fisher, a longtime teammate of Kobe, was seen frequently with Vanessa after the tragedy. His history, however, raised eyebrows—especially his infamous affair with Matt Barnes’ ex-wife Gloria Govan, which led to a fistfight and scandal.

Was Fisher simply being supportive? Or was he looking for something more?

The way Vanessa smiled in his presence, the way he was always near—it didn’t take much for fans to start imagining a connection.

Paul Pierce: The Ultimate Rival’s Curveball

Pierce never liked Kobe—at least not publicly. The Celtics-Lakers rivalry defined both players’ careers. But after Kobe’s death, Pierce sang a different tune, praising Vanessa and her resilience.

Given his wild lifestyle—including the infamous Instagram Live filled with strippers and smoke—it shocked fans to hear his praise for Vanessa. Some even speculated that his newfound admiration was just another way to one-up his old rival.

The theory? If he couldn’t beat Kobe on the court, maybe he could win the affection of the woman Kobe loved most.

Carmelo Anthony: From Protégé to Potential Pursuer

Carmelo and Kobe were close. After his divorce from Lala Anthony in 2021, rumors began that Carmelo, now single, had been growing closer to Vanessa.

Given Melo’s rocky romantic history, including allegations of infidelity, fans were quick to speculate that Vanessa might be next in his sights. They had always been friendly. Now, both were navigating life alone. Was that enough to bring them together?

Others in the Shadows

From Matt Barnes—invited to Kobe’s memorial while his girlfriend wasn’t—to Allen Iverson, whose chaotic personal life made him a frequent subject of gossip, Vanessa’s name kept surfacing in unexpected corners.

Even Dennis Rodman was thrown into the mix. Known for his outrageous stunts, relationships with Madonna and Carmen Electra, and friendship with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, Rodman seemed like an unlikely suitor. But his fascination with powerful women made the theory believable to some.

Then there were whispers about Carlos Boozer, Gilbert Arenas, Eddie Curry—each with their own scandals, each tied to Vanessa by nothing more than proximity, admiration, or wild fan theories.

Jason Tatum: Young Star, Big Heart

Tatum’s connection to Kobe was emotional. He idolized him, trained with him, and constantly paid tribute. So when he was seen offering kind words and gestures to Vanessa, it wasn’t hard to imagine a new generation of admirer being born.

Some believed his youth and sincerity might make him a suitable partner for someone like Vanessa. Others dismissed it as mere idol worship.

Michael Jordan: The Hug Heard Around the World

Then came the memorial hug. Michael Jordan, known for his private life filled with rumors and affairs, embraced Vanessa in a way that was tender, intimate, and—according to fans—lingering.

It sparked immediate speculation. Was there more behind that moment?

Jordan had once lost a fortune in his divorce due to his own scandals. Could he now be seeking a different kind of connection—a woman like Vanessa, who had endured her own tragedy with grace?

The answer, like all the rest, remains elusive.

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In the end, Vanessa Bryant remains an icon of strength. The widow of a legend. A mother. A leader. Whether the rumors are true or just fantasy spun by fans and tabloids, they all point to one thing: admiration.

Because when a woman rises from the ashes of unimaginable grief and carries the weight of a legacy with elegance, she becomes more than just a person.

She becomes unforgettable. And sometimes, that kind of power draws attention—wanted or not.

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