James Allen News Center

Vanessa Bryant has officially filed for divorce from Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, after 10 years of marriage. The couple cites “irreconcilable differences” and claims to have resolved all divorce details prior to filing. Vanessa Bryant did not sign a prenuptial agreement and is therefore entitled to half of Kobe’s earnings (Kobe is one of the highest paid athletes of all time).

Vanessa has asked for joint custody of their children, Natalia and Gianna, who are 8 and 5, respectively. The couple asked for privacy and respect from the media during this difficult time, particularly since holiday season is in full force.

The news of their divorce is hardly surprising. In 2003, Kobe Bryant was charged with sexual assault against a 19-year-old girl named Katelyn Faber, who worked at a hotel in Eagle County, Colorado. Though Kobe admitted to having committed adultery with the girl, he held firmly that it was consensual. The charges were later dropped. The accuser then brought a civil case against Kobe, which was settled privately.

Kobe met Vanessa on the set of a music video shoot when he was 21 and she was 17. The two became engaged just 6 months after meeting and married a year later. The couple purchased a $4 million house in Newport Beach, which is reportedly going to Vanessa during the divorce settlement. Kobe also bought her a $4 million diamond ring after during the sexual assault trials.