Kobe Bryant’s father Joe Bryant auctions replica of late NBA star’s first championship ring

Kobe Bryant’s father Joe Bryant is auctioning off the replica of the 2000 NBA championship ring his late son had gifted him.

The replicated ring is made of 14-karat gold with 40 diamonds – including five larger round diamonds on either side of the face. The memento piece also features the word LAKERS filled with purple enamel.

Bryant’s gifted piece is reportedly ring size of 11 ½ and weighs about 59.6 grams. It also includes a letter of authorization from Kobe’s mom Pam Bryant.

The jewelry was ordered to be replicated by the late athlete for his dad after he won his first NBA championship.

The auction site read, “Obtained directly from the Bryant family, this ring is a true one-of-a-kind, and we can confirm that it is the only championship ring ever given by Kobe to his father.”

The bid has reached a whopping $141,000 and will end on March 30.

Kobe Bryant had a strained relationship with his parents after he got engaged to Vanessa Laine. Despite his family’s opposition, he went on to marry Laine and had four children with her.

In a 2003 interview with the Los Angeles Times, the late NBA star told the outlet that his parents had issues with Vanessa because she was not black.

Bryant’s parents Joe and Pam did not attend the couple’s wedding ceremony in April 2001.

Although the family tried to mend their relationship, it was rocky.

After the parents attempted to auction off a large collection of Kobe Bryant’s memorabilia, Kobe sued Joe and Pam – stating that he had not been permitted to sell his gifts. The items in question were his high school uniforms and a pair of Lakers championship rings from 2000 which had been gifted by Kobe.

He tweeted in May 2013, “When u give Give GIVE and they take Take TAKE at what point do u draw a line in the sand? #hurtbeyondmeasure #gavemenowarning #love?”

The lawsuit was eventually settled and his parents said in a statement, “We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years.”

Kobe Bryant passed away in January 2020 in a tragic helicopter accident. The crash also took the lives of his daughter, Gianna, and seven other people. He was 41 at the time of his death.

Bryant also shared three other children with wife Vanessa - Natalia, 21, Bianka, 7, and Capri, 4.