China News Service, Beijing, April 2 (Reporter Xing Rui) Recently, the same ring as the late basketball superstar Kobe Bryant’s first NBA championship was auctioned at Golding for US$927,200. The transaction was completed, which was approximately RMB 6.7 million.
According to foreign media reports, this number broke the auction record for NBA championship rings. This record previously belonged to "Lord of the Rings" Bill Russell, whose championship ring he won in 1957 was sold for $705,000.
Auction website screenshot
It is reported that the ring that sets the record now is not the original ring, but the same ring that Kobe ordered as an additional gift to his father after he won his first NBA championship in 2000.
Information on the auction website shows that this 14K gold ring weighs approximately 59.6 grams and is inlaid with a total of 40 diamonds. The front of the ring is engraved with "LAKERS" and "WORLD CHAMPIONS" in relief; the side is engraved with Kobe's name "BRYANT" and his jersey number "8", as well as the Lakers' regular season record (67 wins). 15 losses) and playoff record (15 wins and 8 losses).
In the 1999-2000 season, under the leadership of head coach Phil Jackson, the Lakers finally defeated the Indiana Pacers and won the NBA championship. Kobe performed well that season, averaging 22.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game. That was Kobe's first NBA championship, and his legendary career entered a new stage.
Auction website screenshot
This championship ring means a lot to Kobe. In order to thank his family for their support and companionship, he ordered an additional ring of the same style as a gift for his parents.
The auction for this ring started on March 9, local time, and ended on March 30, with a total of 43 bids during the period. On the final day, the price of the ring continued to climb, with 16 bids placed in the 22 minutes before the auction ended.
Data map: Kobe Bryant
Foreign media reported that as early as 2013, Kobe's parents tried to sell the ring and other personal belongings of Kobe. Kobe did not hesitate to go to court with Golding Auction House for this. In the end, the two parties reached a settlement, allowing Kobe's parents to auction six memorabilia worth a total of $500,000 (including rings) and publicly apologize.
In an apology statement at the time, Kobe's parents wrote: "We regret our actions and remarks regarding the auction of Kobe memorabilia, apologize for any misunderstanding and unexpected pain we may have caused our son, and thank him for the financial support he has provided us over the years. .”
Regarding this auction, Kobe's parents told the media: "We did not participate in the sale of this ring. The very existence of the auction reopened our painful wounds." (End)