Kobe Bryant’s Staples Center locker has officially found a new home. Last month, as reported by theGrio, Sotheby’s Auction House opened bidding for the late NBA star’s former locker.
“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 at the time. “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.”
Fast-forward to Aug. 2, when one lucky bidder snagged the locker for $2.9 million after a 20-minute bidding war. According to People magazine, four bidders went toe-to-toe for the locker, raising the bid from $750,000 to almost $3 million.
Sotherby’s originally announced the auction for Bryant’s locker, which was salvaged during a 2018 renovation, it was expected to sell for up to $1.5 million. The actual price is a testament not only to value, but also Kobe’s legendary career and lasting impact with the Los Angeles Lakers.
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“Among the many items to come to market from Kobe Bryant’s career, perhaps none are more intimate than this locker,” the Sotheby’s website reads. “This locker was Kobe’s home at the Staples Center and is an astounding museum-quality artifact from the Los Angeles Lakers legend.”
“Today’s price highlights not only Kobe’s enduring legacy but also the exceptional nature of this unique item,” Wachter added, per People magazine.
Though his locker is no longer in Staples Center, now known as the Crypto.com Arena, the NBA star’s legacy lives at the Lakers’ home. The team recently revealed its latest statue of Bryant, which recreates a touching courtside moment with his late daughter Gianna, who died with him in a 2020 helicopter crash.
Located near the arena’s 11th Street entrance, the statue celebrates Bryant’s love for his daughters and “recognizes his unwavering pride in being a ‘Girl Dad’ and the Bryant family’s support for women and girls in sports.” It shows Bryant kissing Gianna’s forehead as they sit courtside, with large angel wings behind them.
A press release, per GMA, stated, “The tribute represents Kobe and Gianna’s exceptional basketball legacy and the uplifting relationship Kobe shared with all four of his daughters.”
This is the second of three statues set to debut at the arena in honor of the NBA legend.
