If you're looking for some weird but truly one-of-a-kind Kobe Bryant memorabilia, we've got just the thing for you. During the 2012 NBA All-Star Game, Bryant was fouled on his way to the basket by Dwyane Wade and suffered a nasal fracture. In an effort to protect his nose going forward, Kobe was forced to wear a face mask for the next 11 games.
Once he was done wearing the mask, Bryant planned to autograph and auction off the mask to "see if anybody's dumb enough to buy that sweaty mask," according to ESPN. When the auction came to an end, there were 129 total bids, with the winning bid coming in at $67,100. Kobe put that money into the Bryant Family Foundation, which works towards helping eradicate homelessness in Los Angeles.
Starting Monday, the face mask will be auctioned off once again by Goldin Auctions until October 29. The mask is accompanied by a letter from a member of the Lakers training staff, perTMZ. The auction house believes that the item could go for as much as $50,000.
After all, there is some history that comes with the face mask. Bryant scored his 29,000th career point against the Minnesota Timberwolves with the mask on. Plus, with Kobe retiring from the NBA last season, this is the type of exclusive memorabilia that diehard Black Mamba fans would do anything to get their hands on—even if that means paying the equivalent of the U.S. median household income.
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