The towel, which Kobe Bryant used during his farewell speech, ended up in the hands of a fan and was then sold several times before the latest online auction.

The NBA halted its season on March 11 after Utah's Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus pandemic, which has shut down sports league throughout the United States.

News that Kevin Durant was among those who had contracted the virus came soon after the Brooklyn Nets confirmed four players had tested positive for COVID-19.

Christian Wood, who plays for the Detroit Pistons, became the third NBA player to contract COVID-19.

The NBA's move followed a dramatic last-minute postponement of Utah's scheduled game against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.

Michael Jordan remembered his "little brother" Kobe Bryant at a star-filled memorial in Los Angeles for the basketball great and his daughter Gianna.

Vanessa Bryant announced plans for a public celebration of life for her late husband Kobe Bryant and daughter Gianna in a touching Instagram post.

As per reports in the US media, the Staples Center will host a public memorial for NBA icon Kobe Bryant on February 24.

Novak Djokovic teared up as he spoke about late NBA legend Kobe Bryant who died in a helicopter crash on Sunday.

In an Instagram post, LeBron James vowed to continue Kobe Bryant's championship legacy with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The NBA game against Los Angeles Clippers, which was to be the first match on the Lakers' home court since Kobe Bryant died, will be rescheduled for a later date.

Tiger Woods said Kobe Bryant was part of the most historic franchise in the NBA and called him an "ultimate competitor".

Nick Kyrgios was among many sportspersons across the globe who paid tribute to Kobe Bryant after his death in a helicopter crash in suburban Los Angeles.

Kobe Bryant and his teenage daughter were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash in southern California on Sunday.

Kobe Bryant's final post on social media had been a tweet congratulating LeBron James on surpassing him in the all-time NBA scoring list.

Kobe Byant, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others died early on Sunday in a helicopter crash on a hillside in Calabasas, northwest of downtown Los Angeles.

The backlash in China against Daryl Morey's comments has cast a cloud over the NBA's lucrative broadcasting, merchandising and sponsorship interests in the country, where it has legions of fans.

LeBron James told reporters that Rockets general manager Daryl Morey "wasn't educated" on Hong Kong and should have kept his mouth shut.