Kobe Bryant's father, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, has decided to auction his son's 2000 Los Angeles Lakers NBA championship ring and some fans are not happy.
The auction, hosted by Goldin since March 9, features a 14K gold ring adorned with 40 diamonds, bearing the inscriptions "LAKERS," "WORLD CHAMPIONS," "BRYANT," and his number "8." Notably, this ring is a replica Kobe had made specifically for his father, keeping the original for himself.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Kobe originally presented the ring to his parents when he received it. They first thought about selling it in 2013, alongside a vast array of the late Lakers player's memorabilia, which featured his high school uniforms from Lower Merion in Pennsylvania.
Kobe, who tragically passed away at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash in January 2020 along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others, had a complicated relationship with his parents. Joe, 69, and Pamela Bryant, 70, once faced legal action from their son in 2013 for attempting to sell Kobe's memorabilia, including the championship ring, without his permission. They eventually settled, expressing regret in a statement and thanking Kobe for his financial support over the years: "We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years."
The decision to auction the ring has drawn criticism from fans, given Kobe's iconic legacy and the sentimental value of the item. One fan remarked on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, "Very unfortunate. This ring should stay within the family or with a very close friend. It's not about the monetary value; it's about what Kobe meant to the NBA and its fans," and another stating, "His mom really needs the money that badly? This whole thing is sad all the way around."
Joe and Pamela's strained relationship with their son has been public knowledge, highlighted by their absence from his wedding in 2001 and his final NBA game in 2016. Joe, a former NBA player, and coach, reportedly had somewhat mended fences with Kobe by 2005 when he began coaching the Los Angeles Sparks.
As the bidding continues until March 30, the ring's price has soared to $141,000, reflecting Kobe's legacy and the deep connections fans and collectors have to the late basketball legend.
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