Los Angeles Lakers Superstar Kobe Bryant Sells California Mansion for a Record Price
Kobe Bryant has officially said goodbye to his Newport Coast mansion in California for a record price.
Citing multiple listing service data, the Los Angeles Times reported that the property was sold for $6,116,500 on Friday.
In April, the Times broke the news that the Lakers star athlete already got himself an interested buyer, but the transaction was still on pending status. The home's listing price back then was $6.45 million, which was way lower than its original 2013 asking price of nearly $8.6 million.
The successful sale has topped the previous record in the Pelican Ridge area, when a house was sold for $4.78 million two years ago.
The luxury home includes four bedrooms and five and a half bathrooms. Other features, which could have landed the sale are a high-end home theater, a spacious master bedroom equipped with a walk-in closet, a hair salon, and a very interesting home office displaying a built-in shark tank.
Photos of the 8,741-square-foot home of the player can be seen on KHQ.com.
Based on the photos, which can be found on the site, the Mediterranean-inspired mansion displays a predominantly beige motif, giving it the elegance of a classic theme. Inside, exquisite chandeliers adorn the home, adding to its grandeur. Outside, the swimming pool creates a tropical vibe perfect for a summer retreat, especially with grown palm trees proudly standing nearby.
Aside from the features of the home built in 1997, its location exudes a romantic setting with a city skyline boasting amazing views especially during sunset.
The buyer may have also found a liking to the 850 square-foot gym featured in a video provided by Aol.
The great shooter, who averaged 25.4 points in his entire career, has entrusted the sale of his home to his friend, Jordan Cohen of Re/Max Olson & Associates, and Jeff Ewing of Coldwell Banker Newport Beach, the Times added.
The 36-year-old NBA player bought the record-setting home in 2001 from sports agent Dwight Manley, whose clients were NBA players Dennis Rodman and Karl Malone.
Details about the buyer's identity were withheld and only the buyer's agents, Marcy Weinstein and Rex McKown of Surterre Properties, were mentioned in the report.
Lakers' superstar retiring?
Bryant is recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained in January, but it looks like the Lakers' shooting guard is reconsidering his plans after the 2015-2016 season.
Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak revealed in an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio in May that Bryant could be retiring after next season.
"He is much closer to the end than he is to the beginning," he said.
But Bryant took to Twitter to clarify the manager's statement.
In Bryant's Sports Illustrated August 2014 interview, he was asked if he plans to retire in "two years no matter what."
"Yeah, if something inside of me changes and I want to play some more, and go after it some more ....yeah. But where I sit right now, I don't know if I want to do that," the five-time NBA-champion and future Hall of Famer said.
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