There was a time in 2012 where Kobe Bryant was forced to wear a facemask after sustaining a nasal fracture during the 2012 NBA All-Star Game. Though it seemed minor, one facemask Bryant wore is reportedly worth thousands of dollars now.
A facemask Bryant wore for four games during the 2011-12 season has been put up for auction by the folks at Goldin Auctions. With 19 days left to go in the bidding process, the bidding has started at $19,000 and is expected to get as high as $50,000.
Here is how the auction site persuaded folks to bid on the old facemask.
Rarely does the opportunity arise to acquire such an iconic piece from a legends career. A legend known for being able to play through pain, where one of his most painful moments was in the 2012 All-Star game in Orlando. Despite passing Michael Jordan as the All-Star Game’s all-time leading scorer, he suffered a broken nose and concussion courtesy of a hard foul by Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat.
As a result of Bryant’s freak injury during the All-Star game, Bryant was forced to seek protective measures in order to resume his season with the Lakers. It was decided that a protective mask was needed to be made. To do that, a molding of Bryant’s face had to be created.
This isn’t the first item from an NBA star we’ve seen go for a ridiculous amount of money. A high school love poem from Michael Jordan went for more than $1,000, and a Steph Curry mouthguard sold for almost $4,000 earlier this year.
Folks, let’s stop doing this. We are wasting money on stupid things. We should be spending this money on more important things like beer.
[FTW]