Kobe Bryant: Towel worn by late NBA star during his farewell speech fetches £27,000 at auction

Item was grabbed from NBA legend’s shoulders after his final game in 2016

A towel draped over Kobe Bryant‘s shoulders during his farewell speech at his final NBA game has sold for almost £27,000 at an online auction.

Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were tragically killed in a helicopter crash in California in January. Some have since attempted to profit from the five-time NBA champion’s prized possessions, with memorabilia fetching vast sums at auction.

The Body Armor towel was grabbed off Bryant’s shoulders by a fan after the LA Lakers legend had addressed the crowd at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles. It was first sold for $8,365.

Sunday’s winning bid, along with two tickets to the 2016 game, belonged to a buyer known for having the largest collection of LA Lakers memorabilia in the world, according to the president of Iconic Auctions Jeff Woolf.

“He is a devoted Lakers fan,” Woolf said. “His long-term plan is to create a museum in Southern California.”

The same bidder had reportedly previously spent almost £25,000 on a yearbook from Bryant’s schooldays.​

Bryant scored 60 points against the Utah Jazz that night, ending 20 years with the Lakers and completing an illustrious career which featured five championships, an MVP award and two NBA Finals MVP awards among countless accolades.