From the NBA to Wall Street: Kobe Bryant’s $100M investment

Kobe Bryant boasts $100 million to invest in media, technology and data.

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A few months have passed since his last on-court appearance, but Kobe Bryant is making a splash elsewhere, this time in the finance industry.

His first objective? Team up with former executive Jeff Stibel (Web.com) to form a conglomerate firm, Bryant Stibel.

Although it may seem like a brand new undertaking, Bryant Stibel established itself a few years ago in 2013.

Companies currently listed in their portfolio include The Players’ Tribune and legal document provider, LegalZoom.

According to the firm’s website, its mission statement is “…to provide strategic, financial and operational support to entrepreneurs and their companies, with a focus on the convergence of technology, media and data (TMD), as well as in industries such as sports and wellness, where TMD has the potential to create massive opportunities.”

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In a feature by Darren Heitner (Heitner Legal), Kobe Bryant hopes that future retirees of the sport find their “off-the-court niche” sooner rather than later.

Bryant, luckily, has been chasing his ambitions for some time.

The Black Mamba – and Stibel – agreed that this will be an intimately exclusive deal, meaning that bids are closed to outside investors, if and when they try to hop on board.

In fact, K.B.’s infatuation with this opportunity landed him on Wall Street to ring the morning bell, signaling the market’s opening on Monday:

Surprisingly enough, this isn’t Bryant’s first run-in with the financial sector.

Darren Rovell of ESPN pointed out that sports drink maker, Body Armor, swept up a healthy share ($1.2 million) of K.B. merchandise during his final game in a Lakers jersey.

The future Hall of Famer, who joined the NBA in 1996, won’t be alone in casting calls in terms of investments to come.

Nike CEO Mark Parker will be the soundboard to Bryant’s ideas. And that can be a beneficial relationship, since the two have enjoyed a buffet of sponsorship deals together over the years.

“The Wolves of Wall Street” – Other Pro Athletes, Investments:

David Robinson, Admiral Capital (real estate)

Carmelo Anthony, M7 Tech Partners (venture capital)

Marques Colston, Enerskin (compression apparel)

Steve Nash, Consegliere (marketing services)

Mike Richter (G, New York Rangers), Environmental Capital Partners