LOS ANGELES — Lakers legend Kobe Bryant scored 60 points against the Utah Jazz on April 13, 2016, before declaring “Mamba out!” and calling it a career.
It was a special night in team history. And one fan can own a unique piece of it.
Before leaving the Staples Center floor for the final time as a player, Bryant autographed two portions of it — the parts decorated with the two jersey numbers he wore during his career, Nos. 8 and 24.
The signed No. 24 portion has been installed at the Lakers’ practice facility in El Segundo. The signed No. 8 portion is available to the highest bidder through Heritage Auctions.
It’s made up of four panels, each measuring 4×8 feet. The way those panels are laid out, the flooring more or less covers an area of 8×16 feet.
Bryant, daughter Gianna and seven others died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26 in Calabasas.
A towel Bryant draped around his shoulders after his final game was auctioned off in March for more than $33,000. The current bid for the autographed flooring is $210,000 — and the amount is sure to climb before the auction closes on Oct. 3.
It might seem like a hefty price for a couple of pieces of trampled-on wood, but for one fan it will be a small price to pay for a special memento of a special player.
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