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Kobe Bryant And Wife Vanessa Calling It Quits

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — "The Insider" co-host Kevin Frazier reports that Laker superstar Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa are divorcing.

Vanessa (nee Laine) filed for the divorce in Orange County.

"We ask that in the interest of our young children and in light of the upcoming holiday season, the public respect our privacy during this most difficult time," the couple told Frazier.

Photo Gallery: "Kobe and Vanessa"

The couple wed in April 2001 and have two children, daughters aged 5 and 8.

Vanessa Bryant reportedly cited irreconcilable differences for the reasons of the break-up.

According to celebrity website TMZ.com, she is asking for joint custody.

Vanessa Bryant famously stood by her husband in 2003 when he was accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old hotel worker in Colorado.The assault case was dropped the following year when the alleged victim refused to testify in the trial.

The Bryants did not have a prenup. He reportedly, " loved her too much for one."

(©2011 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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