While many are missing sports right now, don't miss Julien's Auctions' 'Sports Legends' sale, which features over 300 historic artefacts, including uniforms, medals, shoes, memorabilia, sports equipment and more from the worlds of basketball, football, baseball, hockey and beyond, all taking place on 21 May 2020, live in Beverly Hills and online.
Among the highlights announced is a collection of items from Kobe Bryant, the basketball legend and 18-time All-Star who won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.
You can bid on items worn and owned by Bryant, such as his full Los Angeles Lakers number '8' home uniform, game-worn during the 1999-2000 NBA Finals and embroidered with an official NBA logo under a black armband worn in remembrance of Wilt Chamberlain; his Los Angeles Lakers home number '24' jersey game-worn during the 2006-2007 season; and a pair of black and white Adidas brand basketball shoes game-worn and signed by Bryant and additionally inscribed with his jersey number '8'. Bryant was also the first athlete to cast prints at Grauman's Chinese Theater, a tribute typically reserved for Hollywood stars and his 2011 handprints in cement will be up for bids.
Born on 23 August 1978, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kobe Bean Bryant became the youngest player at the time in NBA history when he joined the Los Angeles Lakers, the team for which he would play throughout his entire professional career. In his spectacular 20-year basketball career, Bryant elevated the sport to new heights and achieved other unprecedented feats and honours, including 18 NBA All-Star titles, five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, two NBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards, four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, two Olympic gold medals for men's basketball and ranking as the fourth-highest scorer in NBA history.
On 26 January 2020, Bryant's tragic death, at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash with eight other people, including his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, sent shock waves across the globe. Before his death, Bryant was named one of the eight finalists for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this year.
"As one of the millions of fans mourning around the world, we were deeply saddened and shocked to learn of Kobe Bryant's passing while we were preparing for our annual Sports Legends auction a few weeks ago", said Darren Julien, President/Chief Executive Officer of Julien's Auctions. "We are honoured to include this collection of his items and pay tribute to this giant who was an inspiration not only to basketball fans but to the entire world. We welcome his fans to our free to the public exhibition opening May 18th at our gallery in Beverly Hills which will feature these treasures from his brilliant life and career."
Lakers fanatics can also bid on a Spalding NBA All Conference basketball signed by the members of the 2009-2010 Los Angeles Lakers including, Bryant, Ron Artest, Shannon Brown, Andrew Bynum, Jordan Farmar, Derek Fisher, Pau Gasol, Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, Adam Morrison, Lamar Odom, Josh Powell, Sasha Vujacic, and Luke Walton.
Other major highlights include awards from the football world, especially from the World Cup. Top lots include a Jules Rimet replica trophy presented to Marco Antônio Feliciano during the 1970 World Cup, and gold medals from the 1994 and 2002 FIFA World Cups.
Important game-worn items include an Adidas brand jersey worn by Carlos Alberto Torres during the 1970 World Cup held in Mexico signed by Carlos Alberto and Pelé, a Lionel-Messi-worn jersey for a 2007 Barcelona team match and Ronaldo's game worn cleats from 2000.
In addition there are many other exclusive pieces of sports memorabilia, from a Los Angeles 1984 Summer Olympics silver medal to a tennis racket signed by Andre Agassi.