CNN is looking back at the life and legacy of basketball great Kobe Bryant, from his on-court triumphs to the sexual assault allegation that cast a cloud over the second half of his career.
Part two of the three-part Kobe: The Making of a Legend series debuts on Saturday, February 1, and delves into the sexual assault complaint levied against the late Los Angeles Lakers star.
In an exclusive look provided to Us Weekly, the episode features video of Bryant heading into a Colorado courtroom before journalist Miki Turner, prosecutor Ingrid Bakke and district attorney Mark Hurlbert take turns reading the statement Bryant released after the charges against him were dropped.
Bryant was accused of raping a 19-year-old woman at a Colorado hotel in 2003. The alleged victim filed a police report and authorities questioned Bryant about bruising on her neck. Bryant initially denied the sexual encounter before admitting it took place but insisting it was consensual. The Lakers star was arrested that July and was preparing to stand trial the following when a prosecutor dismissed the charges after the accuser experienced harassment and death threats and opted not to testify.
“First, I want to apologize directly to the young woman involved in this incident,” his statement began. “I want to apologize to her for my behavior that night and for the consequences she has suffered in the past year. Although this year has been incredibly difficult for me personally, I can only imagine the pain she has had to endure.”
Kobe Bryant appears in court Barry Gutierrez-Pool/Getty Images
He went on to reinforce his claim that the sexual encounter was consensual, though he understood the alleged victim did not feel the same way.
“I recognize now that she did not and does not view this incident the same way I did,” he said. “After months of reviewing discovery, listening to her attorney and even hearing her testify in person, I now understand how she feels that she did not consent to this encounter.”
Though the criminal charges against Bryant were dropped, the NBA star and his accuser settled a civil lawsuit out of court for an undisclosed amount of money.
Bryant’s wife Vanessa, whom he married in 2001, stood by his side throughout the legal proceedings and until his death in 2020. The two shared four daughters, Natalia, Gianna, Bianka and Capri. Gianna died with Kobe and seven others in a helicopter crash that took place while they were on their way to one of Gianna’s basketball games.
In the years after the alleged incident, Bryant began to regain the sponsors he lost and repair his reputation. He went on to win two more NBA championships and an MVP award. In 2020, he was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Episode 2 of Kobe: The Making of a Legend premieres Saturday, February 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CNN.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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