*Tell us you did not know this was going to happen. With everything else related to Kobe Bryant catching big money in sales, the next logical thing to go on the auction block would be…. his locker.
Yes, the NBA icon’s locker from the Staples Center – which he used from 2003 until his retirement in 2016 – will be up for auction. According to the folks at CassiusLife, the item is expected to net somewhere between $1 million and $1.5 million.
“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 Collectables, told the site in an emailed statement. “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. Its appearance now at auction symbolizes a rare opportunity to own a unique piece of Kobe’s legacy,” Wachter added.
Unique is right. For those wondering how Bryant’s locker physically got on the Sotheby’s auction radar, look no further than a maintenance worker at Staples Center.
Kobe Bryant’s historic Staples Center locker from 2003-2016 is coming to auction for an estimated $1-$1.5M😳💸
The locker was discovered during renovations of the Staples Center in 2018 by a vigilant maintenance worker who saved it from disposal 💰🔒 pic.twitter.com/W9bg9O2TLe
— Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) July 22, 2024
CassiusLife notes the arena was undergoing renovations in 2018, with the worker knowing the locker would have some value since it belonged to the man many people consider to be the G.O.A.T. Laker. From there, the locker ended up in the hands of a collector.
And here we are. The Kobe Bryant locker is among a slew of items to be auctioned that make up what is known as the Altitude Capsule Collection. A part of the proceeds from the sale of the locker will be donated to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation.
In addition to the Mamba’s locker, the Sotheby’s auction will feature other noteworthy items, including the shorts Michael Jordan wore in his last NBA game as a Washington Wizard, Jordan’s cleats and signed bat from his MLB days and a signed Argentina jersey that Diego Maradona wore in the 1986 World Cup Semifinals as well as shoes and signed jerseys from Patrick Ewing, Kevin Garnett, Jayson Tatum, and Steph Curry.
If you have space for Kobe’s locker or just want to see the entire Sotheby’s lot, click here.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB: Joe ‘Jellybean’ Bryant, Former NBA Player and Father of Kobe Bryant, Dies at 69 | VIDEO
