Kobe Bryant Reaches Settlement With Auction House Over Memorabilia

The auction of Kobe Bryant memorabilia will move forward, as Bryant has reached a settlement with the auction house that was given the items by Bryant's mother. 

According to ABC News, Ken Goldin, owner of Goldin Auctions in New Jersey, announced on Monday that the two sides have reached a settlement, which will allow the items to go up for sale online from June 17 to July 19, as first reported by ESPN.

The items were originally scheduled to take place three weeks earlier, but it was postponed after Bryant's attorney sent a cease-and-desist letter to Goldin Auctions, saying his mother, Pamela Bryant, was not authorized to consign about 100 items to the auctioneer. 

The auction company then sued Bryant, asking the judge for clarification over the items' ownership because the auction house paid $450,000 as an advance to his mother in January, which she used for a new home in Nevada. 

About five years ago, Bryant's mother asked Kobe what he wanted to do with the items, but according to the lawsuit filed by Goldin, Kobe didn't have any interest in the items. 

Pamela Bryant also indicated that her son gave those items to her stating that, "here mom, these are for you," the complaint said. 

Joe and Pamela Bryant released a statement, "We regret our actions and statements related to the Kobe Bryant auction memorabilia. We apologize for any misunderstanding and unintended pain we have caused our son and appreciate the financial support he has provided over the years. We also apologize to Goldin Auctions for their inadvertent involvement in the matter and thank them for their assistance." 

Due to the settlement with Kobe over the items, it's said that the items have dropped 90 percent, but Goldin is "very happy" with the latest selection. 

The six items include two of Bryant's Lower Merion High School uniforms, a 1996 Magic's Roundball Classic All Star medallion and ribbon, his 2000 NBA All-Star game ring, two NBA championship rings issued by the Lakers and gifted by Kobe to Joe Bryant.

Goldin said that five of the six items could reach the six-figure range, with some of the items well into the six-figure range. 

Fifty percent of four Bryant's items will be donated to a charity to be announced later.