Kobe Bryant turns venture capitalist: ‘Black Mamba’ launches $100M fund, Bryant Stibel

Kobe Bryant has a new gig in Los Angeles: venture capitalist.

The “Black Mamba,” who won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers over his 20-year career, has now teamed with entrepreneur Jeff Stibel, 43, for a $100 million venture-capital fund aptly named Bryant Stibel. The endeavor will focus on data, media and technology companies.

“We don’t want to be in the business of investing in companies so someone can use Kobe as an endorser,” Mr. Stibel told The Wall Street Journal Monday. “That’s not interesting. The point is to add real value.”

Bryant Stibel is not currently seeking outside investors. It is currently invested in The Players Tribune, the legal-services company LegalZoom, and video game designer Scopely, the newspaper reported.

“The most important thing I enjoy now is helping others be successful,” the 38-year-old basketball great said. “I enjoy doing that much much more, that’s something that lasts forever, and hope they do that for the next generation.”