Kobe Bryant met a New Jersey auction company in the middle on Monday, June 10, 2013 during settlement discussions. Bryant and Goldin Auctions LLC reached a settlement agreement ending a month long battle over a collection of the NBA star’s memorabilia spanning all the way back to Bryant’s high school career. Bryant’s mother Pamela Bryant offered Goldin a collection of Bryant memorabilia in return for an advance of $450,000 in January 2013. Items include several of Bryant’s high school uniforms, his 1996 High School All-American ring, and his most valuable player plaque awarded in college.
Pamela Bryant cosigned for the memorabilia, asserting legal rights to sell the items. Goldin planned on selling the items for auction, until Bryant stepped in to defend the items he claimed were rightfully his. In a cease-and-desist order, Mark Campbell, Bryant’s attorney stated “Mr. Bryant’s personal property has ended up in the possession of someone who does not lawfully own it.”
Subsequently, Goldin sued Bryant in federal court for the right to sell the athlete’s memorabilia at auction. In response, Bryant filed a declaration in May 2013 stating that he never released the items to his mother in the first place. Bryant stated that he and his wife specifically requested that his mother return the property.
After Goldin filed a declaratory judgment action in May 2013, the parties finally came to an amicable agreement. Although the settlement is undisclosed, many of the NBA athlete’s items will still be set for online bidding with more than 1,100 items available. According to the terms of the settlement, 50% of the proceeds from the sale will be donated to charity.
The dispute stems from family matters within the Bryant household. Pamela Bryant auctioned the items in exchange for $450,000 used to purchase a new home in Nevada. Bryant offered to pay up to $250,000 towards a new home for his mother. However, Pamela was displeased to find that her son would not contribute the $450,000 for the Nevada home and went ahead with the auction to make up the difference.
Settlement reached between Kobe Bryant, parents in auction dispute
Kobe Bryant, auction house reach settlement in memorabilia case