Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers jersey from his first NBA All-Star season is among his paraphernalia to be auctioned off tomorrow.
Nate D. Sanders Auctions is hosting a Kobe Bryant auction on Thursday, featuring one of his jerseys from his first All-Star season in 1998-1999. Bidding on the jersey starts at $20,000. The auction also includes several basketballs signed by Bryant, which start at $3,750 a piece, as well as trading cards signed by Bryant, Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
READ MORE: Gigi Bryant’s jersey number retired at her Newport Beach, California school
“The tragic death of Kobe Bryant has devastated the city,” owner Nate Sanders released in a statement, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “People continue to grieve and mourn the loss of the most popular player to wear the Purple and Gold. This is an opportunity for fans to remember their hero by owning memorabilia from his remarkable career.”
Ten percent of the profits from the auction will go to After-School All-Stars, one of Bryant’s favorite nonprofits, according to Sanders. The nonprofit supports low-income students and has served 90,000 kids in 13 states.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died in a Jan. 26 helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the owner of the helicopter company on Monday.
Also on Monday, Bryant and Gianna were memorialized at a celebrity and fan-feted celebration of life ceremony at the Los Angeles Staples Center.
Vanessa spoke for 20 minutes about Bryant, whom she called her “soulmate,” and Gianna, who was affectionately called Gigi. Vanessa spoke of her daughter’s smile and loving nature and how her husband was a romantic who gifted her with the original blue dress and notebook from the 2004 film The Notebook.
“I was his first girlfriend, his first love, his wife, his best friend, his confidant, and his protector. He was the most amazing husband,” Vanessa said during the memorial service. “He was charismatic, a gentleman. He was loving, caring, and romantic.”
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