Kobe’s towel from finale sells for $33K

Los Angeles, March 30

The towel that was draped over the shoulders of Kobe Bryant during his farewell speech following his final NBA game sold for over $33,000 at an online auction.

The Lakers star ended his speech at Staples Center in Los Angeles with his trademark “Mamba Out” before walking off the court. A fan grabbed the towe, beginning a stretch in which that souvenir has been sold multiple times.

The winning bid for the towel on Sunday — along with two tickets from the game on April 13, 2016 — was sold at $33,077.16. Bryant scored 60 points in the Lakers’ 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz on that night.

Jeff Woolf, president of Iconic Auctions, said the buyer is known for having the largest collection of Lakers memorabilia worldwide. “He is a devoted Lakers fan,” Woolf said. “His long-term plan is to create a museum in Southern California.”

Woolf noted that the same bidder previously spent $30,000 on a yearbook from Bryant’s middle school days. Bryant, 41, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other people perished in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas, Calif..

Bryant spent 20 seasons with the Lakers and won five NBA championships. He was the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2007-08, a 15-time All-NBA selection, 18-time All-Star and 12-time All-Defensive team member. He twice was named MVP of the NBA Finals and was the All-Star Game MVP four times. — Reuters