Kobe Bryant celebrated winning his first NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000.
In the present day, four years subsequent to Kobe’s demise, Joe Bryant, his father, is auctioning off Kobe’s inaugural championship ring. Here’s the twist, though! The 40-diamond-encrusted 14-karat gold ring is not the official player’s ring. Kobe requested a replica as a sentimental gift for his father. The ring is sized 11.5 and weighs about 60 grams. Kobe’s mother Pam Bryant has provided a letter of authenticity for the ring.
The ring was marketed as a “true one-of-a-kind” memento from the Bryant family, and bidding began at $30,000. The bidding surged to $141,000 by Friday afternoon, and the auction is scheduled to end on March 30.
The impact of Kobe Bryant goes well beyond the NBA floor. From 1996 until 2016, he played for the Lakers for two decades. With five NBA titles, two MVP honors from the Finals, and the MVP trophy for the regular season in 2008, Kobe’s influence is profound. In addition, Bryant received recognition for being an 18-time NBA All-Star and a mainstay on the All-Defensive and All-NBA teams. His posthumous induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was a source of honor in 2021.
Nevertheless, on January 26, 2020, catastrophe occurred. In a tragic helicopter crash, Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and seven other people perished.
A heartfelt memorial service was held at the Crypto.com Arena on February 8, 2024. To forever honor Kobe Bryant’s influence on the NBA, a statue of the player was unveiled. He purposefully chose February 8 to stand in for his jersey numbers, which are 2, 8, and 24.