The basketball hoop that helped the late Kobe Bryant become one of the greatest players in NBA history, will be sold at auction in the coming months.
Bryant’s childhood home in Pennsylvania sold for $810,000 this month, according to TMZ Sports. However, the basketball hoop that the Hall of Famer and five-time NBA champion used to perfect his jump shot was not included in the sale.
Nearly 10 months after Kobe and Gianna Bryant, along with seven others were killed in a helicopter crash, more memorabilia and personal items that shaped Kobe’s life and career are hitting the auction block.
Kobe Bryant: Bryant’s childhood basketball hoop will be sold
According to TMZ, the seller of Kobe Bryant’s former childhood home in Pennsylvania has given it to Sales by Helen for a future estate sale. While no date has been set, the historic item will certainly generate tons of interest.
Demand for any memorabilia related to Kobe Bryant has soared since his death. A signed piece of the court from the Staples Center, which he played on in his final NBA game, sold for more than $500,000 at an auction.
John Romani, who is overseeing the auctions of items from Kobe Bryant’s former home, told TMZ that more memorabilia is expected to hit the auction block in the coming weeks. Among the items that will be sold, a Sports Illustrated magazine with Michael Jordan on the cover, which was addressed to Kobe.
In the months following Kobe Bryant’s death, tributes have continued to pour in from across the sports world. Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard dropped an incredible tribute track in Bryant’s honor. During the NBA Finals, which saw the Los Angeles Lakers bring another title back to the city, the team wore Black Mamba jerseys in Game 4. Nike also released a touching video in Bryant’s memory.
Since the tragic helicopter crash, early reports indicated the pilot may have been disoriented when the chopper went down. Vanessa Bryant, Kobe’s widow, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Island Express, the company that owned the doomed helicopter.