Hoag today announced a philanthropic gift from Vanessa Bryant, wife of late Los Angeles Lakers basketball legend Kobe Bryant, establishing the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Court at Hoag Hospital Newport Beach.
Located at the hospital’s Sue & Bill Gross Women’s Pavilion, the Kobe & Vanessa Bryant Family Court serves as a prominent departure space where Hoag patients, particularly those with newborns, prepare to leave the hospital and return home.
“It is a beautiful coincidence that the number 24 is on the outside of the now Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Court,” Bryant said.
After the births of their daughters, she said, Kobe would use the departure area to pick her and the girls up, noting that the space would always hold sentimental value for their family.
The Bryants are longtime Newport Beach residents with deep ties to Hoag. Vanessa Bryant gave birth to her four daughters at the hospital, which inspired the family’s gift and their desire to support Hoag’s continued expansion of its patient programs and services, particularly in the areas of endocrinology and autoimmune research.
“Hoag is a special place,” Bryant said. “I have wonderful memories of the care and support I received from the amazing doctors and nurses. I want this gift to help more people experience that level of care when they need it.”
The gift from the Bryant family comes at a pivotal time for Hoag, as it accelerates its growth across the region. In 2025, Hoag opened its southernmost health center in San Clemente to widespread community enthusiasm. This year, Hoag’s $1 billion expansion of its Irvine hospital, the Sun Family Campus, is scheduled for completion, significantly expanding access to specialized care to residents of South Orange County. At the same time, transformative projects are also taking place at Hoag’s Newport Beach hospital, where the new Bryant signage is located.
“This gesture from the Bryant family will have a lasting impact on Hoag, helping us significantly expand care in Newport Beach,” said Robert Braithwaite, president and CEO of Hoag. “What makes this gift so special is the meaningful connection the Bryant family has with Hoag. We’re proud to be part of their healthcare journey.”
Caroline Pereira, president of the Hoag Hospital Foundation, said, “Hoag has always been a hospital built by its community’s generosity, and we are grateful that Vanessa and her family are carrying that tradition forward. Thanks to philanthropy like theirs, Hoag is a nationally recognized healthcare leader that has become a destination for patients from near and far.”
