ducks
08-01-2003, 11:53 AM
one insider
BABY BLUES
Insiders tell Star that the first signs that Kobe's marriage was coming apart surfaced earlier this year after Vanessa gave birth to the couple's daughter, Natalia, in January. "After she had the kid, he wasn't interested in having sex with her. Or if he did, it was very infrequently," claims the insider.
As reported exclusively in Star, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, who speaks fluent Italian, initially kept a low profile after the marriage. But lately, Kobe, who is normally reticent, has been spotted partying, even boldly asking pretty gals for their phone numbers, says an insider.
SHE'S A SHOP-A-HOLIC
According to an insider, Vanessa's lavish spending habits have long been a sore spot in the marriage.
"On Sept. 11, 2001, Vanessa was standing around with a bunch of friends, glued to the TV like everyone else," says a source.
"All she could do was whine that this was going to hold up the delivery of her new Mercedes-Benz. Vanessa is hated not only by his parents, who think she's a gold digger, but also his teammates," says the source.
Insiders say Vanessa practically lives on Rodeo Drive, buying jewelry, furs and designer dresses.
"Kobe's teammates joked about Vanessa's spending habits," says a source, "because she would often try to enlist other Laker wives to run errands for her and pick up clothes she ordered previously.
SO WHY STAY?
"The truth is, Kobe's shaky two-year marriage is barely hanging on by a thread," claims a sports insider.
"I think the lawyers told them it's important to maintain Kobe's nice-guy image.
"If Vanessa gets a cut of all the money Kobe's making and she walks away now, it could affect her share. She's nothing without Kobe. They have to seem like they're a happy couple, and she's standing behind him."
scoop (http://boards.espn.go.com/cgi/nba/request.dll?MESSAGE&room=nba_det&id=196261)
BABY BLUES
Insiders tell Star that the first signs that Kobe's marriage was coming apart surfaced earlier this year after Vanessa gave birth to the couple's daughter, Natalia, in January. "After she had the kid, he wasn't interested in having sex with her. Or if he did, it was very infrequently," claims the insider.
As reported exclusively in Star, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar, who speaks fluent Italian, initially kept a low profile after the marriage. But lately, Kobe, who is normally reticent, has been spotted partying, even boldly asking pretty gals for their phone numbers, says an insider.
SHE'S A SHOP-A-HOLIC
According to an insider, Vanessa's lavish spending habits have long been a sore spot in the marriage.
"On Sept. 11, 2001, Vanessa was standing around with a bunch of friends, glued to the TV like everyone else," says a source.
"All she could do was whine that this was going to hold up the delivery of her new Mercedes-Benz. Vanessa is hated not only by his parents, who think she's a gold digger, but also his teammates," says the source.
Insiders say Vanessa practically lives on Rodeo Drive, buying jewelry, furs and designer dresses.
"Kobe's teammates joked about Vanessa's spending habits," says a source, "because she would often try to enlist other Laker wives to run errands for her and pick up clothes she ordered previously.
SO WHY STAY?
"The truth is, Kobe's shaky two-year marriage is barely hanging on by a thread," claims a sports insider.
"I think the lawyers told them it's important to maintain Kobe's nice-guy image.
"If Vanessa gets a cut of all the money Kobe's making and she walks away now, it could affect her share. She's nothing without Kobe. They have to seem like they're a happy couple, and she's standing behind him."
scoop (http://boards.espn.go.com/cgi/nba/request.dll?MESSAGE&room=nba_det&id=196261)