Vanessa Bryant Uses US Open Women’s Final to Address Wild Pregnancy Rumors

It feels like Vanessa Bryant’s life has turned into a daily rumor rodeo. She opens her phone, scrolls, scoffs, and rolls her eyes at yet another baseless story—pregnancy, dating, or whatever AI has cooked up this time. Forget the Mamba Invitational, Nike drops, or her ongoing charity work—social media prefers fake images and wild speculation. And yet, Vanessa? She keeps it classy, consistent, and effortlessly claps back while doing her own thing.

Back in June, the internet erupted with unconfirmed rumors claiming Vanessa Bryant was pregnant, supposedly expecting a child in 2025. Social media—from TikTok to X and Facebook—went into overdrive after she was spotted in a dress that allegedly showed a baby bump. But Vanessa didn’t play into it. Instead, she delivered a flawless mic drop, keeping it simple and savage. On her Instagram Story, she shared a meme of Rihanna, who is actually pregnant, with the caption: “Me protecting my peace, not pregnant & having fun all summer.” Subtle? Not at all. Effective? Totally. Still, the internet didn’t get the hint.

Vanessa is back at it, shutting down the rumors once again—this time while sipping on some exquisite vodka. She shared on her Instagram Story, “Enjoying my honey-deuce. Keep me posted on how this imaginary pregnancy rumor is coming along. 24 years later…same rumor 🤓🍸🥂,” a nod to the fact she married Kobe back in 2001 and welcomed their first child, Natalia, in 2003. Her love story with Kobe? Straight out of a movie—17, a high school senior from Southern California, meets Lakers star on a music video set, “love at first sight,” as she puts it. Six months later, engaged. By April 2001, married. And yet, the internet still can’t quit buzzing.

It all started a few days ago when the internet got flooded with AI-generated chaos involving Vanessa Bryant and Celtics star Jaylen Brown. Fake images showing Vanessa with a baby bump, clips of them “responding” to the rumors, and even bogus videos of Michael Jordan and LeBron James allegedly slamming Vanessa for her so-called “betrayal” went viral. There were even claims that her daughter Natalia had “disowned” her. And honestly? Vanessa had had enough. Like she’s done before, she clapped back with a sharp and simple message on her Instagram Story: “Weak people spread rumors. Stupid people believe them.”

The Jaylen Brown rumors, though? They came completely out of nowhere. The Celtics star reportedly broke up with former WNBA #4 overall pick Kysre Gondrezick back in February 2025 and hasn’t been linked to anyone since. He’s stayed respectfully silent through all of this, despite social media being flooded with fake claims—even AI-generated “proof” showing Brown supposedly confirming the relationship. But the more aware side of the internet wasn’t having it. Fans and followers came to Vanessa’s defense, calling out the AI-driven hate and standing by her.

Even WNBA star A’ja Wilson’s brother, Renaldo, weighed in and shut down the noise, reminding everyone to put some respect on Vanessa’s name. “5 years is long enough, bro. The only reason why everybody’s making a big deal of this is the fact that she was with Kobe. If it was anybody else, nobody would have been saying a word. She’s human, just like everybody else,” Renaldo wrote. And since Vanessa’s out there sipping her honey-deuce and shutting down rumors, maybe it’s time we look beyond the vodka glass for the real story.

Vanessa Bryant lights up the U.S. Open

While sports are often associated with beer, there’s a whole world of other drinks to enjoy while cheering for your favorites. The Honey Deuce, the U.S. Open’s official cocktail for nearly 20 years, was on full display this weekend, and Vanessa was spotted savoring it courtside. She looked absolutely radiant in an all-white outfit as she attended the iconic tournament in Queens, New York, alongside her two youngest daughters, Bianka (8) and Capri (6). The trio completely stole the spotlight, with the girls twinning in matching dresses, rocking adorable bows, and flashing huge smiles into the camera while posing with their mom. They were there to watch No. 8 seed Amanda Anisimova face off against defending champion Aryna Sabalenka, making it a truly picture-perfect family outing.

And if you’re wondering—yes, we couldn’t help but think about Kobe Bryant being there too if he were still with us today. Turns out, Kobe was a huge tennis fan. Back in 2019, he told Sports Illustrated, “I enjoy playing. I enjoy watching. Now, enjoying playing tennis and actually being good at playing tennis are two different things. But I enjoy it.” That same year, he even tied his love for the sport into his creative side, co-writing Legacy and the Queen with Annie Matthew — a kids’ sports adventure book inspired by tennis.

Kobe’s admiration for the game didn’t stop there. Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios once revealed that Kobe believed tennis teaches “so many life skills,” adding, “That’s why he loved it. You are out there on your own.” And when asked to pick between Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic during the 2019 U.S. Open? Kobe didn’t hesitate, “Novak is my guy,” he said. That friendship went deep, too, Novak Djokovic has spoken openly about how Kobe helped him regain confidence after his 2018 elbow surgery, motivating him to push through when he was close to retiring.

Seeing Vanessa courtside with her daughters, enjoying the Honey Deuce and soaking in the U.S. Open vibes, is a sweet reminder she’s living, healing, and cherishing life with her kids just as Kobe would’ve wanted.