Sad Sale: Kobe Bryant’s Personal Memorabilia To Be Auctioned Off After Tragic Death
Feb. 27 2020, Published 10:04 p.m. ET
Fans of Kobe Bryant have a chance to own a piece of the legend, just months after his tragic death in a helicopter crash.
Julien's Auctions annual sports and memorabilia showcase, “Sports Legends,” will take place April 30, 2020, live in Beverly Hills and online at juliensauctions.com, and the former L.A. Lakers legend will have several items up for bids.
"We were deeply saddened and shocked to learn of Kobe Bryant's passing while we were preparing for our annual Sports Legends auction a few weeks ago", said Darren Julien, President/Chief Executive Officer of Julien's Auctions. "We are honored to include this collection of his items and pay tribute to this giant who was an inspiration not only to basketball fans but to the entire world.
As RadarOnline.com readers know, Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people were killed in Calabasas, California on Sunday, January 26.
The group was en route to a junior basketball game at Kobe’s Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks.
Foggy weather conditions apparently caused the pilot to smash into a hillside. It burst into flames and started a brush fire in the Calabasas mountains.
It was later discovered that the pilot of the chopper, Ara Zobayan, reportedly received a violation in 2015 after after a Federal Aviation Administration investigator found he had violated the rules by “crossing into busy airspace near Los Angeles International Airport on May 11, 2015.”
On February 24, as fans paid tribute to the victims of the crash, Kobe’ widow, Vanessa, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the helicopter company, claiming the pilot was reckless while flying in bad weather.
“We welcome his fans to our free to the public exhibition opening April 27 at our gallery in Beverly Hills which will feature these treasures from his brilliant life and career," Julien added.
Check out this RadarOnline.com gallery to see some of the items that can be yours during the auction.
Finals Jersey
Bryant's full Los Angeles Lakers number "8" home uniform, game worn during the 1999-2000 NBA Finals and embroidered with an official NBA logo under a black armband worn Kobe Bryant's Number 8 home uniform in remembrance of Wilt Chamberlain (estimate: $10,000-$20,000).
Grauman’s Handprints
Bryant's 2011 handprints in cement from Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood where the NBA legend became the first athlete to cast prints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre, a tribute typically reserved for Hollywood stars (estimate: $4,000-$6,000).
Home Jersey
Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers home number "24" jersey game worn during the 2006-2007 season (estimate: $4,000-$6,000).
Signed Sneakers
A pair of black and white Adidas brand basketball shoes game worn and signed by Bryant and additionally inscribed with his jersey number "8" (estimate: $2,000-$4,000).
Team Basketball
A Spalding NBA All Conference basketball signed by the members of the 2009-2010 Los Angeles Lakers including, Bryant, Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic, and Luke Walton (estimate: $2,000-$4,000).
Other Items
A Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics silver medal (estimate: $6,000-$8,000).
FIFA medal
A 2002 FIFA World Cup gold winner's medal awarded to a player from the champion Brazil national football team from the first World Cup to be held in Asia and the first and only World Cup to be jointly hosted by more than one nation, in South Korea and Japan (estimate: $20,000-$40,000).
Gold Medal
A 1994 FIFA World Cup gold winner's medal awarded to a member of the champion Brazil national football team during which Brazil defeated Italy 3-2 in a penalty shootout after the game ended 0-0 in extra time, the first World Cup final to be decided on penalties (estimate: $20,000-$40,000).