Kobe Bryant’s Parents Spark Uproar by Auctioning Off Championship Ring

Kobe Bryant‘s parents are attempting to sell some of his personal items for the second time, causing controversy. The items include the championship ring that Kobe gifted to his father after winning the 2000 NBA championship.

The Lakers championship ring is made of 14K gold and was specifically made upon Kobe’s request to gift to his dad, Joe Bryant, who also played in the NBA from 1975 to 1983.

This particular ring is a replica of the same one given to Kobe Bryant and other Lakers players during their championship win in 2000.

The bid is currently at $94,000 as of Monday.

One of Kobe’s championship rings is currently up for auction 😯

(Via @TheSiteSupply ) pic.twitter.com/G11Zs14Tr7

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 17, 2024

It is publicly known that Kobe Bryant and his parents have had a strained relationship. However, after he retired, it was reported that they were making attempts to mend their relationship. In 2013, Bryant’s parents tried to auction off some of his personal belongings without informing him beforehand, which led to him expressing his displeasure on Twitter in a now-deleted tweet.

“When u give Give GIVE and they take Take TAKE at wat point do u draw a line in the sand?” Kobe tweeted, according to the Los Angeles Times, with the hashtags “hurt beyond measure,” “gave me no warning,” and finally, “love?”

Kobe later filed a lawsuit against his parents after they attempted to sell several pieces of memorabilia from his basketball playing career. The parties eventually reached a settlement that only allowed less than 10 percent of the items originally intended for sale to be auctioned.

“We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia,” said Joe and Pamela in a statement to ESPN at the time. “We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years.”

Their relationship was already strained, and their failure to attend his final game in 2016 only made matters worse.

Fans on social media the latest move by the basketball great’s parents is a spit in the face of the legacy that their son created, which inspired many.