You name a record, and Kobe Bryant has probably broken it. He played more seasons in the NBA for the same team - the LA Lakers - than anyone else in history. He was the first guard in NBA history to play for 20 seasons. He's the Lakers all time leading scorer, and a seventeen time all star. Some have said that he's second only to Michael Jordan in terms of greatness in the sport. Others, like Kevin Durant, have said that Bryant was simply the Jordan of their generation. That kind of legacy brings money, and money is something Bryant has plenty of.
The hugely marketable star was bringing in massive amounts of money through sponsorship and endorsement at one stage, although a rape allegation in 2003 damaged his reputation somewhat even though he was cleared. More recently, he teamed up with Jeff Stibel to launch a venture capital fund to bring in some income from various sectors.