Lakers Hall of Famer's Staples Center Memorabilia To Be Auctioned Next Week

This collectible item from a recent L.A. champion is slated to fetch major coin.

Dec 10, 2013; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Pau Gasol (16) and guard Kobe Bryant (24) react during the game against the Phoenix Suns at Staples Center. The Suns defeated the Lakers 114-108. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Hall of Fame Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kobe Bryant's locker stall is set to be auctioned off this week, reports Arash Markazi of The Sporting Tribune.

“If the Staples Center was ‘The House that Kobe Built’ then this was his room inside that house, a remarkable and intimate artifact that lived Kobe’s career with him,” Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectables, Brahm Wachter, informed Markazi.

Per Sotheby's, the locker was uncovered by a construction worker while the then-Staples Center (now Crpyto.com Arena) was being renovated in 2018, two years after Bryant's retirement. The locker was sold to an American collector who previously possessed Bryant's locker nameplate.

Markazi reports that the locker will be auctioned off on July 31 at Sotheby's, and expected to fetch a projected $1.5 million. A portion of profits will be given to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation. The locker will be available for viewing at Sotheby's in New York from Friday through the sale.

“Kobe Bryant's locker at the Staples Center is more than just a piece of memorabilia; it's a sacred relic of his unparalleled journey,” Wachter said. “This locker was Kobe's sanctuary amidst triumphs and challenges, a witness to the highs and lows of a storied career."

"Every achievement and hardship left its mark within these walls. Its appearance now at auction symbolizes a rare opportunity to own a unique piece of Kobe's legacy,” Wachter added.

For his career, the 6-foot-6 swingman posted averages of 25.0 points on a .447/.329/.837 slash line, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.5 blocks a night across his 1,346 career regular season games, in a 20-year career. He played every single pro game of that run with the Lakers.

Bryant helped lead Los Angeles to seven NBA Finals, including five championships, and was twice named Finals MVP. He was also a 15-time All-NBA honoree, a 12-time All-Defensive Teamer, and the 2008 MVP.

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