Kobe Bryant fans and sports collectors have their eyes on a new, pricey piece of memorabilia –– the NBA legend’s locker. This week, thanks to Sotheby’s, fans can bid on Bryant’s Staples Center locker, which is expected to sell for up to $1.5 million.
“Among the many items to come to market from Kobe Bryant’s career, perhaps none are more intimate than this locker,” the Sotheby’s Auction House website reads. “This locker was Kobe’s home at the Staples Center and is an astounding museum-quality artifact from the Los Angeles Lakers legend.”
The locker, part of Sotheby’s Altitude Capsule Collection, was reportedly discarded during the 2018 renovation of Staples Center. Stored by an individual involved in the project at the time, it has since been acquired by a private collector who is putting it up for auction.
“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,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of Modern Collectibles, said in a statement, per People magazine. “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.”
The Los Angeles Lakers star’s locker is one of many pieces available in Sotheby’s sports-themed capsule, which features a range of sports collectibles, including the shorts Michael Jordan wore during his last NBA game in 2003 and other pieces worn by stars like Reggie Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry, and more.
Bidding for Bryant’s locker will close on Aug. 2, but fans will be able to view it along with other items at Sotheby’s New York location from July 26 to July 30.