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Kobe Bryant’s Parents ‘Slammed’ For Putting His Championship Ring On Auction Following Earlier Attempt To Sell His Jerseys

BY Edwin Lamptey March 20, 2024 10:03 AM EDT
Photo Source: Instagram/@kobebryant

Parents of the late Kobe Bryant were subjected to criticism after attempting to sell a ring he gave to his father, Joe, back in the year 2000.

Kobe gifted the ring to his father after winning his first NBA championship. He won it after the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers, making it his first of five NBA championships throughout his illustrious career. 

He gave his mother, Pamela, a replica, but the original ring, which is made of 14-karat gold also has some 40 diamonds in it.

Per available reports, this is the second time his parents have attempted to sell some of his prized possessions, and his fans are unhappy about it.

In earlier times, they allegedly attempted to sell his high school jerseys. This act led to a lawsuit because Kobe didn’t permit them to sell any item of his stuff. 

His parents later apologized, saying they regretted their actions and were sorry for the pain their actions caused him. They added that they appreciated all the financial support he had provided them over the years.

One of the fans referred to the act as “disgraceful”, while another noted that the late basketball star would never have sold it if he were alive. A third believed that the ring needed to stay in the family, and another noted that Kobe’s wife, Vanessa, needed to buy it to keep it safe.

Before his death, Kobe and his parents reportedly attempted to make amends after several fallouts that began when he started dating Vanessa. Joe and Pamela didn’t attend the couple’s wedding in April 2001. Over the years, their brief reconciliations were documented, but that appeared to have been truncated in 2013.