Vanessa Bryant is setting the record straight.
Amid swirling rumors and social media speculation claiming that the 43-year-old widow of NBA legend Kobe Bryant is pregnant, Vanessa took to Instagram to shut down the chatter with both grace and attitude.
“Me protecting my peace, not pregnant & having fun all summer,” she wrote in an Instagram Story, pairing the message with a racy image of Rihanna flipping the bird and soundtracking it with 2Pac’s iconic 1996 anthem “All Eyez On Me.”
Vanessa Bryant at the 2024 Baby2Baby Gala at Pacific Design Center on November 9, 2024 in West Hollywood, California.
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Not stopping there, Vanessa followed up with two more posts reflecting her values and fiery spirit.
“The only way to impress me, is by being a good person,” read one slide. “I don’t care what you have, what you wear, where you live, or what you drive. I just have deep respect for people with pure hearts and good intentions.”
Another post, again featuring Rihanna, echoed Vanessa’s no-nonsense approach: “I’m not mean, I’m just not the one.”
Basketball player Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa at the official after party for the 2004 World Music Awards, September 15, 2005 at Body English in the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show was being broadcast live from Las Vegas on September 15 for the first time after being held in Monte Carlo for 15 years.
Frank Micelotta/Getty Images
Vanessa, who met Kobe in the late ’90s and was married to him for nearly 20 years before his tragic passing in 2020, continues to preserve and promote his legacy.
Just last month, she and Kobe’s eldest daughter, Natalia, unveiled a refurbished basketball court in Los Angeles.
The project, a collaboration with BodyArmor, the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, and L.A.’s Parks & Recreation Department, honors both Kobe and their late daughter Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.
Kobe Bryant (2nd L) and his family attend the premiere of Disney’s “A Wrinkle In Time” at the El Capitan Theatre on February 26, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
Christopher Polk/Getty Images
“This week, we unveiled a new Kobe and Gianna Bryant Basketball Court in the heart of East LA! Huge thanks to @drinkbodyarmor and @lacountyparks for being dedicated partners and continuing to invest in young athletes with us,” read a social media post.
“A special thanks to @coachlindsayg for joining me in the Q&A! Your presence meant so much to the kids and to all of us. In honor of Kobe and Gigi, this court is dedicated to every young person ready to grow, play, and challenge themselves every time they step on the court to #playgigisway.”
See screenshots of Vanessa Bryant’s Instagram stories below.
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