Kobe Bryant dead from Helicopter crash

[Athene]

Probably. Though I also assumed that Bryant later discovering that his accuser was taking anti-psychotic medication used to treat schizophrenia at the time in question may have played a role in compelling him to say that he could understand how she felt she had been assaulted. Compulsive behavior, disorientation, hallucinations and delusions are common to the disorder. Her perception of the events that transpired could have changed at some point.

In his "confession" he still maintained that believed that the encounter was consensual.

The apology didn't have anything to do with his contract, The apology was probably part of the settlement in exchange for not pursuing the criminal charges. This is evident because Bryant doesn't issue this apology until after the case is dropped, his team did everything they could to smear the girl but when they found out prosecutors had enough evidence to go to trial they cut a deal. 

The NBA is not going to have you make statements that could affect you legally in order to sign a contract, i'm not sure if that's even legal but most of all the players union would never allow it.

Nonetheless, Bryant having been motivated to write the letter after being enlightened to her apparent psychiatric condition is remarkably plausible, IMO. 
Her presumed schizophrenic disorder could also easily explain why some witnesses reported her being elated, giddy and bragging about the big Black celebrity cock she got one moment, and others reported her appearing angry and depressed about it--And in assuming she wasn't lying just to lie, perhaps why she later contacted detectives to inform them that detailed account she gave of Bryant looming over and forcing her wash up of the encounter never even happened. 

If Bryant had known of her condition prior to the encounter, one could easily submit that he took advantage of her condition (at the least), and I would be inclined to agree. But he didn't.

She was a stranger to him.

Like or not, her apparent condition would and should have been extremely relevant in determining Bryant's guilt in a court of law. Not as a means of simply dismissing her account by sole virtue of her having mental health issues, but because her condition clearly seemed to illicit drastically different perceptions of the encounter from her at different times.One in which she expressed having had a fun time nailing a celebrity, and one in which she she felt violated.

You and several others here might feel comfortable simply glossing over or ignoring such glaring contradictions, barreling ahead and labeling Bryant a rapist, but I'm not.