Kobe's 2000 Lakers championship ring sells for record $927K
Kobe Bryant's 2000 NBA Finals title ring set a new record at auction over the weekend.
The ring, which Bryant gifted to his father, Joe, sold for $927,200 through New Jersey-based auction house Goldin, breaking the record for the highest price paid for an NBA championship ring. The previous record was Bill Russell's 1957 title ring, which sold for $705,000 in 2021.
Originally obtained from the Bryant family in 2013, the 14-karat gold ring contains a total of 40 diamonds and features the Lakers logo and "World Champions" on the front. Bryant's name appears on one side of the ring, along with the Lakers' regular-season record of 67-15 and postseason mark of 15-8. The other side features the words "Bling Bling" and the year.
This is the only championship ring Bryant ever gave to his father, according to Goldin.
The Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in six games to win the 2000 NBA Finals. It was the first of five championships Bryant won during his 20-year career, the entirety of which he spent with the Lakers.