The towel used by Kobe Bryant during his farewell speech has fetched more than $33,000 at auction.©AFP
The towel that Kobe Bryant wore on his shoulders during his farewell speech after his last National Basketball League (NBA) game was sold for more than $33,000 at auction, American media reported on Sunday. With the towel wrapped around him to help blot up his sweat, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar closed his speech with his signature phrase, “Mamba Out.” The towel ended up in the hands of a fan as Bryant left the court and was subsequently sold several times before the latest online auction.
The winning bid on Sunday was $33,077. The buyer also received two used tickets for the April 13, 2016 Lakers game.
Bryant scored 60 points in the Lakers’ 101-96 win over the Utah Jazz that night.
Jeff Woolf, president of Iconic Auctions, told US news channel CNN that the winning bidder is famous for owning a large collection of Lakers memorabilia.
“He’s a devoted Lakers fan,” Woolf said. “His long-term plan is to create a museum in Southern California.”
Bryant died in January at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles that killed eight other people, including his daughter Gianna.
Bryant played his entire 20-year NBA career with the Lakers. The superstar guard led the club to five NBA titles during his stay.
He was an 18-time NBA All-Star and 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player and also helped the United States win Olympic gold in 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London.
Topics mentioned in this article
