Inspired by the code name of an assassin in the cult favorite film, Kill Bill by Quentin Tarantino, Bryant sought to not only reinvent himself but create a means of deflecting the intense backlash that he had begun to face. That’s when he introduced the idea of an alter ego and ‘Black Mamba’ was born.
With his reputation in tatters and various sponsorship deals under threat Kobe was forced to rethink many things about his personal and professional life. The case would eventually be dropped as his accuser refused to testify and Bryant himself he would go on to publicly apologize to his accuser, family and the general public after which a private out of court settlement was reached. His accuser alleged that the assault took place in his room.īryant would later admit to a sexual encounter but maintained that it was consensual. Bryant had checked into to a hotel in Edwards, Colorado to await surgery at a clinic nearby. Unfortunately, not all that glitters is gold and in July of that year a highly publicized sexual assault case was brought against Bryant by a 19 year old hotel employee. The Los Angeles Lakers were coming off of the back of a 3 peat and as history would later show, they weren’t done yet. In 2003 Kobe Bryant was one of the most recognizable athletes on the planet and arguably the best player the NBA had seen in a generation.
