The memory of late NBA icon Kobe Bryant continues to live on. And now, a major piece of his legacy is set to be up for grabs — and could go for over $1 million.
Bryant’s Staples Center locker is up for bid courtesy of Sotheby’s, which estimates the storage unit could fetch between $1 million and $1.5 million, the auction house announced via press release on Monday, July 22.
According to Sotheby's, the "locker was discarded following the renovation of the Staples Center in 2018, and an individual involved with the project had the foresight to keep and store it." It has since been obtained by a private collector before going up for auction as part of the ALTITUDE | CAPSULE COLLECTION.
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“Kobe Bryant's locker at the Staples Center is more than just a piece of memorabilia; it's a sacred relic of his unparalleled journey,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectibles, said in a statement, explaining the significance of athlete's locker.
He added, "This locker was Kobe's sanctuary amidst triumphs and challenges, a witness to the highs and lows of a storied career. Every achievement and hardship left its mark within these walls."
Additionally, the auction house described the highly coveted piece of sports memorabilia as an integral part of the NBA legend’s legacy.
“Th -
is locker stands as an incredibly rare and intimate remnant, commemorating Bryant’s more personal moments, while also serving as a testament to his unmatched legacy and impact on the game itself,” the auction house said, per the release.
Listed as part of Sotheby’s sports-themed online auction, bidding on Bryant’s locker started July 22 and is open through Aug. 2. A public viewing of the item will take place from July 26 to July 30 at the auction house's York Avenue galleries in New York City.
Other available items include a pair of Michael Jordan's shorts worn during his final basketball game, an autographed Diego Maradona World Cup semifinal jersey, one Rafael Nadal's tennis rackets from the 2006 French Open and Wimbledon championships as well as Florence Griffith Joyner's record-setting spikes from the 1988 Olympic Games.
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Back in April, Bryant’s 2000 Los Angeles Lakers NBA championship ring — which he once gave to his father, Joe Bryant — was sold at auction for $927,200, the Los Angeles Times reported
Per the outlet, the price was the most ever paid for an NBA championship ring, eclipsing the previous record set when Bill Russell’s 1957 ring sold at auction for $705,000 in 2021.
The 2021 sale marked the third time Bryant's ring was sold at auction since his parents first put the item up for sale in 2013.
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