A championship ring from Kobe Bryant that was gifted to his father just sold at an auction for nearly $1 million. According to multiple reports, the ring, which is from the 2000 Los Angeles Lakers team, was purchased for $927,000. It breaks the record for the most-ever paid for an NBA championship ring, surpassing Bill Russell’s 1957 ring which was sold at an auction for $705,000.
The ring is a replica and 43 bids were made. The name of the auction winner was not revealed by Goldin Auctions. This is the third time the ring has changed hands since Bryant’s father, Joe, and his wife, Pam, sold the ring to Goldin for $173,000 in 2013.
At the time, Bryant sued Goldin, saying he didn’t permit his parents to sell the ring. The parties eventually settled, and the ring remained sold to Goldin.
Bryant’s parents released a statement to the Los Angeles Times, saying they had no involvement in the latest auction of the ring. “We want to make it unequivocally clear that we have no involvement in this sale of our son’s 2000 championship ring,” they said.
“The mere existence of the auction has reopened a deep, painful wound. We seek peace, and the opportunity to grieve with dignity. We appreciate your understanding and respect for our family’s privacy at this time. Thank you, and may God bless you.”
More on Kobe Bryant’s legacy
The 2000 championship was Bryant’s first of five NBA titles he won in his career. He helped the Lakers win it all from 2000-2002 and again in 2009 and 2010. Bryant retired from the NBA following the 2015-16 season but tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26, 2020.
Along with winning five NBA titles, Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP twice, he won the NBA MVP award in 2008 and was selected to the All-Star team 18 times.
“You gave a six-year-old boy his Laker dream,” Bryant said in a letter posted in The Player’s Tribune in 2015. “And I’ll always love you for it. But I can’t love you obsessively for much longer. This season is all I have left to give. My heart can take the pounding, my mind can handle the grind, but my body knows it’s time to say goodbye.
“And that’s OK. I’m ready to let you go. I want you to know now so we both can savor every moment we have left together. The good and the bad. We have given each other all that we have.”
More must-reads: