Kobe Bryant gave his father, Joe, his first championship ring as a gift in 2000.
He won it with the Los Angeles Lakers over the Indiana Pacers, the first of five NBA championships in his illustrious career. He gifted a copy to his mother, Pamela, but the original ring, which is 14 carat gold and contains 40 diamonds, is now being auctioned off.
This is the second time Kobe’s parents have tried to sell some of his favorite things, and fans are outraged.
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One labeled them “disgraceful,” while another said, “Kobe would never have sold it. “Wow, how sad.” Others believed that the ring should “stay in the family” or that Vanessa Bryant, the late athlete’s wife, should purchase it and “keep it safe.”
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Prior to his death, Kobe and his parents reportedly tried to make amends after a series of disagreements that began when he started dating Vanessa. Joe and Pamela didn’t go to the couple’s wedding in April 2001. Their brief reconciliations were documented over time, but they came to an end in 2013.
“When u give Give GIVE and they take Take TAKE at wat point do u draw a line in the sand?” According to the Los Angeles Times, Kobe tweeted the hashtags “hurt beyond measure,” “gave me no warning,” and “love?”
The tweet was in response to his parents’ attempts to sell several prized pieces of Kobe’s career memorabilia, including the aforementioned championship ring and high school jerseys. According to the New York Post, Kobe was not advised of the sale and did not provide authorization to sell any of the objects in question, prompting a lawsuit.
“We regret our actions and statements regarding the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia,” Joe and Pamela wrote in a statement at the time, according to ESPN. “We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years.”
This put additional strain on Kobe’s relationship with his parents, who did not attend his final NBA game in April 2016.
“Our relationship is sh*t,” he told ESPN. “When I say, ‘I’m going to buy you a very nice home,’ the reaction is, ‘That’s not good enough?’ “So you’re selling my s**t?”
Vanessa, Joe, and Pamela have not spoken publicly about the current auction, which will run until March 30 via Goldin.
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