Kobe Bryant’s personal locker from the Staples Center is among the pieces featured in a new Sotheby’s auction.
In a statement, Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectables, underscored the historic value of this undeniable rarity, which serves as a key element in the larger ALTITUDE capsule collection.
"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," Wachter said in an emailed statement on Monday. "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."
The locker in question was used by the late Lakers icon starting in 2003 and through the 2015-2016 season. Incredibly, the locker was first saved from destruction by a maintenance worker before ending up in the hands of a collector who already had Kobe’s nameplate. It hits the market with a listed estimate of $1 million - $1.5 million. Notably, a portion of the proceeds will be put toward the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation.
Kobe’s locker, not to mention other selections from the capsule, will be on view in Sotheby’s New York galleries starting July 26. For a closer look at the full collection, see here.
This isn't the first piece of Kobe memorabilia to make headlines this year. Back in March, Kobe’s 2000 NBA Finals championship ring went for a reported $927,200 at auction.
Earlier this month, Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, Kobe's father and a former NBA player himself, was reported to have died at the age of 69. Vanessa Bryant, Kobe's widow, later issued a statement in which she remembered Joe as "always sweet" during their limited time together.
"We hoped things would’ve been different," Vanessa wrote in an Instagram update last week. "Although the times we spent together were few, he was always sweet and nice to be around. Kobe loved him very much. Our prayers go out to family."