‘She Should Try Out for the WNBA Instead’: Fans Are Disappointed about Kobe Bryant’s Daughter’s Runway Debut at 20

• Natalia Bryant lost her father when she was only a teenager.
• Now, she is a young woman who recently made her runway debut.
• However, fans expressed disapproval of Natalia’s career move.

Natalia Bryant recently launched her modeling career and expressed her excitement. However, some people disapprove of her career choice and suggest she could have done many other things except being a model.

Natalia is NBA legend Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant’s eldest daughter. Sadly, her famous father and her younger sister Gianna Byrant died in January 2020.

Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were killed in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. The two were survived by the family matriarch, Vanessa, and three of the couple’s kids, Natalia, Bianka, and Capri.

The father and daughter duo tragically died a week after Natalia’s 17th birthday. In a September 2021 interview, she spoke fondly about her family and said she liked being at home because of her parents, describing them as “fun.”

She said this about her father, “He was just like the best girl dad ever. […] I love talking about my dad. It’s bittersweet, but I enjoy talking about him more than it’s sad for me.”

Natalia followed in her beloved parent’s footsteps by participating in sports. She played varsity volleyball for her high school. The young woman’s love for the sport reportedly began in 2012 at the London Olympics at nine years old.

The California native was with her mom then, who affirmed that she would develop an interest in playing volleyball when she grew up, and she did.

Natalia, who has the same smile as her late father and is tall like him, shared her mother told her that she would do well in the sport because of her height.

She admitted she was not confident enough about her height, but her love for the sport was there as she attended USC volleyball games with her family – sometimes with her mom, dad, and sister Gianna.

After Natalia lost her father and sibling, her mother revealed she was exceptionally supportive by helping her care for the family’s younger members, Bianka and Capri.

Vanessa said she was “proud” of her daughter, whom she called “my right-hand woman.” The mother of four explained that Natalia managed to balance school while applying to colleges and caring for her siblings at the same time, adding she also signed her own modeling contract in 2021 with IMG while also stating:

“She is a wonderful big sister and an incredible daughter.”

Natalia is now 20 years old and recently made headlines thanks to her modeling journey. She made her runway debut at the Versace show on September 22, 2023, during Milan Fashion Week.

The young beauty hit the catwalk as her beloved mom, Vanessa, proudly watched from the front row. Natalia looked stylish while modeling a black dress that featured angular shoulders.

She strutted the runway in silver chrome ballet flats and carried a classic black leather purse. The dark-haired beauty wore her hair in a voluminous half-up, half-down style and accessorized her look with statement rings and matching earrings.

The USC student reportedly exuded confidence while walking on the runway and acknowledged her achievement on Instagram, writing:

VERSACE!! Grazie Mille!! It still feels like a dream. I am beyond honored and grateful.”

Natalia’s mother commented on her social media upload, penning, I’m so proud of you, baby! Congratulations!!!” Vanessa reiterated her statement on her Instagram alongside a photo of her beautiful daughter on the catwalk. “You did it, mama!!!!” she wrote.

However, some online users commented negatively about Natalia’s milestone, stating modeling is not a good move for her. “Why not put your child through Harvard, Princeton, or Yale instead of in a catwalk?” asked one online user.

“Vanessa is setting a bad example, and this does not honor Kobe at all. The girl should get a college degree, start a business, get a job, or do something constructive. Being an actress or model is lame for this family,” another social media user said.

Someone else penned, “She is beautiful, but there is more to life than walking on some runway. With all the opportunities at her feet, doesn’t she want to accomplish anything with her life?” Meanwhile, one person suggested, “She should try out for the WNBA instead…”