Kobe Bryant’s 2000 NBA championship ring shattered all records by selling for a colossal $927,200 during the March Elite Auction held by Goldin Auctions. Not many were aware that the owner of five such rings that were a guttering testament to his legendary career, ordered an extra copy of the diamond-encrusted ring to give to his father, Joe Bryant. The late Lakers legend won the ring after an action-packed six-game series over the Indiana Pacers in 2000. The superstar player suffered from a sprained ankle during Game 2 and Game 3 but showed no sign of his discomfort, only his eyes set on the prize. It was in the historic Game 4, when Bryant played 47 of 53 minutes and with 28 points in their kitty, the victorious Lakers took home the coveted championship rings.
The ring ordered by Bryant happened to be the most expensive ring gifted by a player. The championship ring was made of 14-karat gold, and weighed a heavy 59.6 grams with 40 diamonds. The word Lakers took center stage in purple enamel, with the words “World” and “Champions” bordering the ring, per Sportico. The ring also included Bryant’s name on one side with the season mark of 67-15 and a score of 15-8. It was a wearable record of a memorable match and night commemorated with the words “Bling Bling” and a diamond ball going into a hoop.
Kobe’s father Joe Bryant sold it to a Goldin Auctions consignor in 2013, for $173,000. The ring obtained directly from the Bryant family came with a Letter of Authenticity (LOA) from Pam Bryant. There were 19 bids made on the final day of the auction, with the winning bid being $927,000 with the buyer premium. The ring became the most expensive Bryant award that had been publicly sold, Goldin said.
