Kobe Bryant is playing his final NBA game at the Staples Center tonight. And he’s getting a proper send-off, complete with an iced-out retirement ring.
Before he and the Lakers took on the Utah Jazz this evening, Kobe and his wife, Vanessa, were presented with the commemorative item designed by Jason Arasheben, the CEO of Jason of Beverly Hills. It is made up of 14 karat yellow and white gold, and features Kobe’s name, the Laker’s logo, his “Black Mamba” nickname, his two jersey numbers, as well as strip of snakeskin on the inside. But the most extravagant detail of the ring has to be the assortment of white round diamonds, the five biggest representing the number of championships he's won.
But Kobe wasn’t the only person at Staples who received a commemorative gift. In addition to free Nike “Mamba Day” tees that were placed on every seat, some of the attendees were also gifted with a swag bag that included a hat and a limited edition “Robojam” Kobe action figure. But if fans were looking for something a bit more rare, and a hell of a lot more pricey, they had the opportunity to purchase a piece of insane Kobe art.
As pointed out by ESPN correspondent Darren Rovell, Art of the Game was posted up at the arena with several commemorative pieces that honor Kobe’s career with the Lakers. The artwork is pretty damn good, so it’s not surprising they were being sold for $15,000 … each.
Check out some of the pieces below.
