Blogamole › Kobe Bryant

By Michael Lopez

With three houses and $75 million in the bank, it seems like newly-single Vanessa Bryant would hardly have a reason to join Basketball Wives. But that hasn't stopped the reality show's producers from trying.

According to TMZ, Basketball execs are lining up a hefty offer for the former Mrs. Kobe. They feel getting her to dish about her famous ex on primetime TV could deliver huge ratings.

"Vanessa has more than enough storyline and would bring the show to another level," an anonymous source stated.

If she accepts, Vanessa would be a lead on the show (which may even relocate to L.A. on her behalf). That all sounds like a major longshot to us. Perhaps they'd be better off going after a rumored Kobe mistress instead.

Would you like to see Vanessa on Basketball Wives? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Basketball Wives, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrity Divorce, Chisme, Kobe Bryant, popnews, Reality shows, Television, Vanessa Bryant

By Michael Lopez

Something tells us that Kobe Bryant will be breaking out the prenup the next time he walks down the aisle. The soon-to-be-divorced Laker star is reportedly handing over some major cash to his ex, Vanessa.

The former Mrs. Bryant is primed to get $75 million out of the deal, roughly half of Kobe's total net worth. Not only that, she scored their three mega mansions in So Cal's luxurious Newport Beach.

Of course to many, Vanessa is getting exactly what she deserves. The 29-year-old Latina is the mother of Kobe's two daughters and stuck with him for over 10 years, despite numerous cheating allegations.

And even with all that money gone, Bryant still has $75 million left in the bank and some very lucrative endorsement deals. So we're certainly not crying too hard over his loss.

Do you think Vanessa deserves half of Kobe's fortune? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrity Divorce, Chisme, Kobe Bryant, popnews, Vanessa Bryant

By Michael Lopez

It must be nice to make hundreds of millions of dollars, especially when it comes to medical care. Instead of getting basic treatment on his bum knee, Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez flew all the way to Germany to test out an experimental therapy called "Orthokine."

Interestingly, it was Kobe Bryant who told A-Rod to head overseas. The Lakers star had used the therapy himself and clearly it's helped him excel in the NBA. But what is "Orthokine" exactly? A revolutionary plasma-rich platelet treatment.

According to New York Magazine, "Orthokine" involves taking blood from a patient's arm, then spinning it in a centrifuge. The shaken-up serum is then injected into the affected area, aka Rodriguez' injured knee.

It definitely sounds "different," but the real question is, will it work? It seems A-Rod did the procedure a few weeks back, so perhaps when the new season kicks off we can see if he's got bionic speed when he rounds those bases.

Do you believe in alternative medicines? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags alex Rodriguez, Baseball, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Health, Kobe Bryant, Medicine, MLB, Orthokine, Sports

By Michael Lopez

Is it us, or does Kobe Bryant have a thing for Latinas? In the latest bit of chisme surrounding his very public divorce, the Lakers superstar is rumored to have cheated on his wife with half-Mexican Playmate Jessica Burciaga.

Burciaga fist got attention when Hugh Hefner crowned her his Miss February 2009. And since then, she's graced the pages of Maxim and appeared in dozens of TV specials and music videos.

Could one of her appearances have caught the eye of Kobe? According to several gossip sites, the answer is yes. They claim that Bryant spent hundreds of thousands of dollars wooing Jessica with gifts, trips, and jewelry.

Burciaga, not surprisingly, is denying everything, calling the reports "ridiculous." Of course, if you ask the soon-to-be ex Mrs. Bryant, you may get a different story.

Do you think Kobe was fooling around with Jessica? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrity Divorce, Chisme, Jessica Burciaga, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, Playboy, popnews, Sports Basketball

By Michael Lopez

Basketball fans got quite a shock over the weekend after it was announced that Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa were splitting after 10 years of "wedded bliss." Though they looked like a happy couple, it seems his cheating ways may have been the downfall of the marriage.

Interestingly, Vanessa (who is part Latina) stuck with Kobe after his 2003 sexual assault charge, where he admitted to being unfaithful. But, according to TMZ, there had been multiple women since then and this month she decided she'd had enough.

The site's latest claim is that the wives of Bryant's Laker teammates leaked the cheating stories to Vanessa. Regardless, the divorce papers have now been filed, which means she'll be in for a MAJOR payday.

Sources claim that the Bryants did not have a prenuptial agreement, giving Vanessa control of half of Kobe's massive fortune. She is reportedly asking for joint custody of their two daughters and may be getting dibs on their Newport Beach mansion.

Do you think Vanessa deserves half of Kobe's money? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags basketball, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrity Divorce, Chisme, Divorces, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, NBA, popnews, Sports, TMZ, Vanessa Bryant

By Simone Hilliard

Regardless of your love/hate relationship with Kobe Bryant, the all-star athlete has always given back to the community through organizations like the Make a Wish Foundation, St. Jude´s Children’s Hospital and Boys & Girls Club of America.

This week Bryant and his wife Vanessa flexed their philanthropic powers even further by announcing the launch of their new charity initiative, the Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation.

The Bryants held a press conference at My Friend's Place, a Hollywood haven for homeless youth, to announce their intention to eradicate youth homelessness in Los Angeles. The couple candidly admitted that they are new to the issue of youth homelessness, but the Lakers' star revealed that as a father of two, the issue resonated with him.

Bryant said at the conference:

"We're still educating ourselves and will continue to do so. The important thing for us is that we're going to attack this."

In a printed statement, Kobe further elaborated that he began noticing the issue at his home away from home, the Staples Center.

"On my way to games, I noticed children and families living on the streets blocks away from where I play."

KVBFF plans on partnering with existing organizations like My Friend's Place in order to raise funds, create permanent housing and provide educational and career resources to those in need.

Kobe joked:

"We want to help [homeless youth] kick butt!"

Currently, My Friend's Place offers emergency services to about 1,600 a year. Hopefully, KVBFF can increase services offered and help curtail L.A.'s growing homelessness issue.

What will you do to assist KBVFF? Let us know in the comments, or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Simone Hilliard, Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation, Kobe Bryant, My Friend's Place, Vanessa Bryant

By Michael Lopez

In recent months there has been a disturbing trend happening during time-outs at high-profile basketball games. Top players like Kobe Bryant and Joakim Noah have been seen mouthing homophobic slurs, which has led to big fines and a major backlash from the gay community. NBA wife LaLa Vasquez recently chimed in too, criticizing athletes for their insensitivity.

"I don’t think it’s cool," Vasquez told Bossip. "I think that you can't do stuff like that. You've got to respect everyone and you definitely have to respect the gay community."

Thankfully Lala's hubby Carmelo Anthony hasn't been embroiled in any of the scandals, but Kobe and Joakim have felt quite a bit of heat. Back in March, Bryant was fined $100,000 for making derogatory remarks after a technical foul. Noah was ordered to pay $50,000 for screaming the words, "F**k you, f**got" to a fan.

Both players later apologized for their actions and the NBA organization was actually commended by GLAAD for its swift reaction to the incidents.

"The NBA sent an important message about how such slurs fuel a climate of intolerance and are unacceptable," GLAAD President Jarret Barrios said. "These anti-gay remarks, coming so soon after, demonstrate how much needs to be done."

What do you think about the increase of gay slurs on the court? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags basketball, Chisme, GLAAD, Jarret Barrios, Joakim Noah, Kobe Bryant, LaLa Vasquez, NBA, Sports

By Michael Lopez

No one can deny that the Los Angeles Lakers had some devastating defeats in the past week. Losing four playoff games in a row to the Dallas Mavericks left fans scratching their heads and asking, "what went wrong?" Now sports conspiracy theorists are wondering whether any of the players' wives had anything to do with the downfall, particularly Kobe's esposa, Vanessa Bryant.

For years, rumors have surfaced about Vanessa's jealousy toward other Laker wives and girlfriends. But now The OC Weekly is taking the concept one step further, saying Mrs. Kobe may have had a hand in the breakup of Pau Gasol and his fiancée.

There is no denying that Gasol had a horrible post-season run and many attribute his dismal court performances to the drama unfolding in his personal life. Pau's longtime lady love Silvia Lopez Castro reportedly dumped him this year after some stern lectures from an "unnamed" teammate's wife.

Many think the esposa in question is actually Vanessa, citing Pau's public screaming matches with Kobe as proof. And that may only be the beginning. Bryant's next targets are supposedly Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom. Rumors are flying that Vanessa now wants her own reality show for the sole purpose of outshining the E! power couple.

Do you think Vanessa could be behind the Lakers' loss? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags basketball, Celebrity Couples, Chisme, Khloe Kardashian, Kobe Bryant, Lakers, Lamar Odom, Pau Gasol, Sports, Vanessa Bryant

By Sharmaine Jones

Following a stellar 50-point, 11-rebound game on Monday, Carmelo Anthony has become the hottest commodity in the NBA. And with the Feb. 24 trade deadline looming and numerous teams interested, the ball is now bouncing in the All-Star forward's court.

The New York native wants out of Denver, preferably to play back home in the Big Apple.

"That's like the ultimate dream at the end of the day," Anthony told ESPN. "Who wouldn't want to go back home to play?"

While the obvious transaction would involve a trade between the Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks, the Los Angeles Lakers are making their bid in the 'Melo sweepstakes. The Knicks offered a package deal that would send forward Wilson Chandler to Denver, but, according to ESPN, the Lakers mustered up a package that would include center Andrew Bynum.

"There have been discussions between the two teams," one source said. "The Lakers are definitely an option."

To bring Anthony to Los Angeles, the Lakers would almost have to pull a rabbit out of their hat. With the Nuggets insisting on first-round picks, the Lakers would have to involve a third team in the deal. But if they can satisfy the Nuggets' terms, we may see Derek Fisher and Kobe Bryant in the Lakers backcourt, Pau Gasol at center and Carmelo and Lamar Odom at the forward positions. The Miami Heat's “Big 3” would pale in comparison.

As for Anthony's dream of playing in New York, the fact that he and his wife La La bought a house in L.A. valued at nearly $2 million last summer could mean that he's just as cool with living in Cali.

With his fate still undetermined for a few more weeks, we have to wonder about the timing of the Lakers' offer. Is it merely coincidence that their offer became public so soon after the Knicks' bid, or are the Nuggets employing scare tactics to get more out of the deal?

Where would you rather see Carmelo Anthony play, with the Knicks or the Lakers? Tell us what you think in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Andrew Bynum, basketball, Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets, Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, New York Knicks, Wilson Chandler

By Michael Lopez

Oh how we wish this was a feature film! Unfortunately the Kobe Bryant and Robert Rodriguez Black Mamba collaboration is just a high-profile commercial for Nike shoes. But it’s set to be one heck of a TV spot. Kanye West, Bruce Willis and Danny Trejo are all in the cast list for this epic court battle.

So far, Nike's released :30 teasers to build buzz for the six-minute film. Set to debut during this year’s NBA All-Star Weekend, the Black Mamba promises explosions, helicopters and wild-eyed zombies on the court.

Best of all, it looks like Danny Trejo’s Machete may pop in for an appearance too. We’re totally guessing here, but it is being made by the same team that created the 2010 cult classic. The style of the trailer (and that distinctive Trejo growl) make this promo seem very Machete-esque.

One other interesting thing to point out about Machete is that it too started as a short trailer. Originally featured in the Robert Rodriguez film Grindhouse, its underground popularity led the filmmaker to expand it into a full-length feature film. Let’s hope the same kind of buzz works with Black Mamba!

Are you excited about Kobe Bryant’s Black Mamba spot? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags basketball, Black Mamba, Bruce Willis, Danny Trejo, Hot Stuff, Kanye West, Kobe Bryant, Nike, Robert Rodriguez, Sports