Kobe Bryant's final game hardwood floor expected to fetch $500,000 at auction

Late NBA legend Kobe Bryant retired on April 13, 2016, scoring 60 points against Utah Jazz during a disastrous Los Angeles Lakers season. The five-time NBA champion announced his retirement in 2015 by sharing a an emotional poem called "Dear Basketball." Bryant's jersey numbers – eight and 24 – were painted on the court, which the Lakers icon signed. Now, years later, the hardwood floor is being auctioned online.

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Kobe Bryant final game hardwood floor being auctioned off online

The floor is currently being sold on Heritage Auctions website, with a current bid of $210,000. "Kobe applied a massive autograph to the numeral after the game, in bold black sharpie, before walking off the professional court forever," reads the website's description. They also clarify that each piece of the floor comes with authentication stickers registered to the NBA and MeiGray database in the form of numbers – AM013808, AM013809, AM013810 and AM013811.

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Four panels of the floor will be sold, each of which are four-by-eight feet. As per Heritage Auctions, the floor is "one of the most inspiring lots that Heritage has had the privilege to present to the collecting world." The floor was last auctioned by Lakers Youth Foundation in May 2016, where it was sold for $179,100. According to CNN, 10 percent from this floor auction will be donated to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation by the seller. 

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As per recent reports, Heritage Auctions believe that the floor can fetch a total of $500,000. As per the website, the bidding will continue for another 15 days. Ever since Bryant's tragic death earlier this year, the cost of numerous Kobe Bryant memorabilia has skyrocketed. This includes his 2000 championship title ring, game-worn shoes and high school videos and interviews. The price of Bryant's "Kobe" line of sneakers also increased. 

In March, the towel Bryant used in his final game was sold for $30,000. The towel was grabbed by a fan as he was walked towards the locker room after his farewell and was originally sold for $8,000. The fan who auctioned the Kobe Bryant towel has the largest collection of Lakers memorabilia, said Jeff Woolf, the president of Iconic Auctions. 

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Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others lost their lives in a tragic helicopter crash on January 26. The 18-time NBA All-Star who led the Lakers to five championships – one three-peat and one two-peat – was the 13th overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996 (who promptly traded him to the Lakers). Bryant was one of the NBA Hall of Fame inductees this year, a ceremony which is postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

(Image credits: NBA website)