Social media often decreases the line between truth and illusion. A similar thing happened with Vanessa Bryant, the widow of NBA legend Kobe Bryant. Ever since his tragic demise, this fact about social media has become a reality of her life. Once again, the 42-year-old philanthropist found herself at the center of wild speculation after her fake photo began making the rounds online. It not only gave rise to her pregnancy rumours but also brought her unnecessary criticism. Amid all the buzz, here is the truth behind the photo.
Did Vanessa Bryant pose with Jaylen Brown?
Recently, a picture appeared to show Vanessa Bryant with her baby bump alongside Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown. The image instantly went viral and sparked gossip about a supposed new romance and pregnancy. But the truth, as it turns out, was very different. The viral photo that created a stir wasn’t real at all; it was the result of AI-generated deepfake technology. Although the images looked real at first glance, they featured manipulated versions of Vanessa and Jaylen Brown placed together to create a fake story.
But it did not stop the internet from running with the narrative. After the picture surfaced on the internet, netizens began to call out Vanessa for moving on. As the noise grew, not everyone remained silent. Renaldo Wilson, brother of WNBA star A’ja Wilson, jumped into the conversation, calling out the disrespectful and invasive behavior. Sharing his views, Renaldo said:
“Five years is long enough, bro. The only reason everybody’s making a big deal of this is the fact that she was with Kobe. If it were anybody else, nobody would have been saying a word. She’s human, just like everybody else.”
Vanessa Bryant shared a meme ft Rihanna to address her pregnancy buzz.
Vanessa herself chose a different path to address the rumors. On June 2, 2025, she posted two memes featuring pop icon Rihanna to her Instagram story. In the first, Rihanna is seen floating in water with a drink in hand, unapologetically flipping her middle finger, paired with the caption: “Me protecting my peace, not pregnant and having fun all summer. I’m not mean, I’m just not the one.” In another, the same phrase was repeated, cementing Vanessa’s playful but pointed clapback at the online chat.
More about Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Bryant
Vanessa Bryant paid a heartfelt tribute to Kobe after his demise. After Kobe’s tragic death in January 2020, Vanessa diverted all her focus to honouring her late husband and their daughter, Gianna, who lost their lives in a plane crash. She has turned to Philanthropy and relaunched The Kobe Bryant Sports Foundation. It helps in providing scholarships to youth, especially in the sports field. At the same time, she continues to raise her other three daughters, Natalie, Capri, and Bianka.
What do you think about the AI-generated photo of Vanessa Bryant and Jaylen Brown? Let us know.
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