Kobe Bryant's Towel from His Last Los Angeles Lakers Game Sells for $33K at Auction
A towel that the late Kobe Bryant used during his final game with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016 sold for $33,077 during a virtual auction on Sunday.
According to the listing on Iconic Auctions, the towel was in “fine condition, exhibiting light staining which matches footage of the day,” and also came with two game tickets. There were 16 bids in the lot, which started at $3,000.
During his final game with the NBA on April 13, 2016, against the Utah Jazz, Bryant ended his 20-year career by scoring 60 points for the Lakers.
He went on to give a farewell speech at the end of the game, with the Body Armor towel draped over his shoulders, ending with his famous phrase “Mamba Out.”
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Kobe Bryant at his final NBA game, in 2016
A fan reportedly grabbed the towel as Bryant exited the court and then sold it that same year for $8,365, CNN reported. The new owner contacted Iconic Auctions last month about selling the towel in their upcoming auction, Jeff Woolf, president of Iconic Auctions, told the network.
This time, the memorabilia was purchased by David Kohler, who is known for having the largest collection of Lakers memorabilia in the world, Woolf said.
“He is a devoted Lakers fan,” Woolf told CNN. “His long-term plan is to create a museum in Southern California.”
Earlier this month, Kohler spent another $30,000 for a middle school yearbook that was signed by Bryant. “In a few years you probably will be dunking on me — Not!! How about those Lakers. Your friend, Kobe Bryant,” the inscription in the 1992 yearbook reads, according to a Facebook post.
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Harry How/Getty Kobe Bryant at his final NBA game, in 2016
Harry How/Getty Kobe Bryant at his final NBA game, in 2016
Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna — along with pilot Ara Zobayan, Sarah and Payton Chester, Christina Mauser, John Altobelli, his wife Keri Altobelli and their daughter, Alyssa Altobelli — died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif., earlier this year. Bryant was 41.
Since then, relics from his legendary NBA career have made their way to auction sites as people try to monetize his death and fans fight for the prized mementos. Over the weekend, Iconic Auctions also took bids for a basketball he’d signed.
Elsewhere, fans and friends and others have paid tribute to his memory.
Last week, Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, shared a sweet video of him talking about coaching Gianna — who was nicknamed “Gigi” — and the happiness it brought him in sharing his passion for the sport with her.
