Natalia Bryant Reveals Why She Stopped Playing Volleyball After Deaths of Kobe & Gianna Bryant

Natalia Bryant, the daughter of the late Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant, is opening up about why she decided to step away from the sport of volleyball after the tragic deaths of her father and her 13-year-old sister Gianna in a January 2020 helicopter accident.

“I was watching and [my Mom] was like, ‘Nani, you’re going to love this sport. You’re going to love volleyball. I’m calling it right now,’” the 18-year-old told Teen Vogue. “I think [my mom] knew I wasn’t confident in my height. She’s like, ‘You’re going to play volleyball. You’re going to get confident because of this. There are all these other tall girls too, so you’re not the only one.”

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Natalia spoke about going to a University of Southern California and the University of Oregon match with her dad two months before his death.

“That was an especially cool moment that I got to experience with him, and sit courtside, and watch two of the top teams,” she said. “They were going at it. I was in awe watching them.”

“I love the sport,” Natalia said. “I quit volleyball after the accident because I was so…a lot was going on at that time. I knew I didn’t…love volleyball as much as they love basketball. I’m okay with that.”

An investigation found the reason why Kobe and Gianna‘s helicopter ended up crashing on that tragic day.

Our continued thoughts are with the Bryant family.