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On Turning 40, Kobe Bryant, and Second Acts
What’s your second act going to be?
Kobe Bryant was the most decorated player of his generation and is often considered the GOAT. The 18-time NBA All-Star and 1-time MVP lead his LA Lakers to five NBA championships, capping his career off with two Olympic gold medals.
For most of us, this would be enough.
We’d be content to ride off into the sunset, basking in our past glories, kick our feet up, and enjoy piña coladas on the beach.
Yet, in his early 30s, with retirement looming over the horizon, Bryant was already considering life after basketball. He wasn’t content to simply ride off into the sunset or take a comfortable job as a TV sports anchor.
In 2013, three years shy of his NBA retirement, Bryant partnered up with web.com founder Jeff Stibel to establish the venture capital firm Bryant Stibel.
By 2020, the firm had US$2 billion in funds under management.
He was thinking bigger.
He was thinking about his second act.
Sadly, he never got to play it, with his and his daughter Gianna’s life tragically cut short by a helicopter crash in 2020. He was just 41.
