Kobe Bryant’s Lakers Locker Goes On Auction For Estimated $1.5M

By Gyang Dakwo

The locker used by Kobe Bryant during the majority of his Lakers career has gone on auction, with the piece of history being given an estimate between $1million and $1.5million.

Bryant, who passed away in a 2020 helicopter crash, is known to have used the locker at the Staples Center from the 2003-04 season to the 2015-16 season – his final year in the NBA.

And now, Sotheby’s is auctioning off the item after it was acquired by an unnamed American collector in a private transaction.

The item had previously been in storage for ‘years,’ the company said, after being discovered while the Staples Center was being renovated in 2018.

Sotheby’s says the locker – along with the rest of what remained in the locker room – would have been thrown out if not for a ‘vigilant’ maintenance worker.

“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 collectables, said in a press release.

“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.”

The locker is made of wood and has Bryant’s last name in the upper right-hand corner.

Bryant is considered a Lakers and NBA legend, after a career with five championships, 15 All-NBA selections and one MVP win.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the locker will go to the Los Angeles Lakers Youth Foundation.

Bidding for the item is open through August 2. It opened Monday, just under a week after Bryant’s father passed away.