Kobe Bryant was one of the brightest stars in the NBA in the early 2000’s. He helped the Los Angeles Lakers win three straight championships from 2000 to 2002, playing alongside the great Shaquille O’Neal. But after the three-peat, Bryant started gaining media attention for other reasons.
On this day, July 18th, in 2003, Kobe Bryant, star shooting guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, was charged with assault by a 19-year-old hotel employee. The charges were later dropped when Bryant’s accuser refused to testify at trial.
Although the criminal charges were dropped, civil charges were subsequently brought and a settlement was reached without disclosure to the public. These accusations greatly damaged Bryant’s reputation in the public’s eye. He lost endorsement contracts with both McDonald’s and Nutella. Bryant’s replica jersey also lost significant sales because of the charges.