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LA Lakers legend Kobe Bryant's father Joe Bryant is reportedly auctioning the exact copy of the NBA championship ring that his son gave him after winning his first title in 2000.
The five-time NBA champion did not have the best relationship with his parents, by his own account. In an interview with ESPN in 2016, Bryant shared that he was not on speaking terms with them:
"Our relationship is s**t. I say [to them], 'I'm going to buy you a very nice home, and the response is 'That's not good enough'?. Then you're selling my s**t?"
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Kobe Bryant reportedly fell out with his parents, Pam and Joe Bryant, following their 2013 attempt to auction off some of his high school memorabilia. A judge at the time ruled that his parents could auction off six items, which earned them $500,000.
Though Kobe's relationship with his parents was rough at times, particularly during his playing career, he worked on fixing it before his untimely passing. Both Pam and Joe Bryant were present at Kobe Bryant's funeral.
Kobe Bryant made an exact copy of his 2000 NBA championship ring to gift his dad
Kobe secured his first NBA championship in the 1999-00 season when the LA Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in the finals. The Mamba got an exact copy of his championship ring made and gifted it to his father, Joe Bryant, presumably as a way to thank his father and dedicate the championship to him considering how Joe never won a title in his NBA career.
Despite the heartwarming moment between the father and son, after over two decades of holding on to Kobe Bryant's ring, it seems that Joe Bryant is ready to part ways with it. The 14K gold ring is up for auction on Goldin's website. The description of the ring highlights its story and authenticity.
"Obviously proud of winning his very first NBA Championship, Kobe ordered an extra copy of the majestic ring he was issued to give to his father, Joe Bryant, as a special gift," the description read.
"This is not an executive version of the Championship ring, but the same EXACT ring given to Kobe Bryant and other Lakers players. Obtained directly from the Bryant family, this ring is a true one-of-a-kind, and we can confirm that it is the only championship ring ever given by Kobe to his father."
Kobe's 2000 LA Lakers championship ring is priced at $94,000 as of March 18. The auction is reported to end on March 31.
