Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant reacts during their NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in Los Angeles January 17, 2013.LUCY NICHOLSON/Reuters
It turns out the parents of NBA superstars are just like regular parents: At a certain point, they want to get all their kids' crap out of the house. For Kobe Bryant and his mom, however, where things get awkward is when this brings on a lawsuit.
Bryant is fighting his mother in court to prevent her from auctioning off some of his memorabilia that dates back to his high-school days and early in his career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 900 mementos, which include jerseys, varsity letters and practice gear are worth upward of $1.5-million (U.S.), according to the Associated Press.
The news agency reports that Kobe's mom, Pamela Bryant, signed a deal with Goldin Auctions under which they would get to sell off his stuff and she would get $450,000 up front.
When the auction was announced last week, Kobe's lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to the auction house. Kobe claims his mother never had permission to sell his things. His mom claims otherwise. Goldin says in court filings that five years ago Pamela asked Kobe what to do with his stuff and he said it was hers to do with as she pleased.
"Kobe Bryant indicated to Pamela Bryant that the items belonged to her and that he had no interest in them," the auction house states in those court filings.
What stories of this legal battle have not really addressed is what seems like the most obvious, glaring question: Just how much do Kobe Bryant and his mom hate each other? After all, Bryant is the highest-paid player in the NBA this season, pulling in a salary of $27.8-million.
If you had that kind of scratch and your mom wanted $450,000 to buy a new house, why wouldn't you just reach into one of your many sacks of gold and give it to her?
If only all of us with parents looking to toss our childhood detritus had that problem.
Dave McGinn