The late Kobe Bryant’s childhood home outside Philadelphia is for sale for the first time since his parents sold it in 2008. The NBA legend, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in January, spent much of his childhood abroad in Rieti, Italy, where his dad was playing professional basketball, but moved back to the U.S. when he was 13. When the family relocated to Wynnewood,
Pennsylvania, they moved into this Colonial-style house where Kobe spent his middle and high school years. The home is now on the market asking $899,900, PEOPLE can confirm, and is listed with TJ Sokso of Compass. The 3,000-square-foot home has five bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms. Inside, there’s a spacious office and a large living room that leads into a formal dining room.
But the most intriguing feature for Kobe fans is the backyard, which still features the original basketball hoop that the legendary athlete practiced on growing up. The backyard is accessible through the kitchen — which features a breakfast nook and granite countertops — as well as the lower level den, complete with a fireplace. The outdoor area has been updated with AstroTurf, which surrounds a patio for outdoor dining.
The seller, Kate Bayer, who purchased the property from the Bryant family around 12 years ago, says she is honored to have lived in the home. “When we moved in, everyone — and I mean everyone — asked, ‘do you know who lived there?’ she recalls. “They were excited. The mailman, trash collectors, every neighbor… people walking down the street.”
Bryant died on Jan. 26 in a helicopter crash that also killed his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others — Payton Chester, 13, Sarah Chester, 46, Alyssa Altobelli, 14, Keri Altobelli, 46, John Altobelli, 56, Christina Mauser, 38, and pilot Ara Zobayan, 50.
He is survived by his wife, Vanessa, 38, and daughters Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 1. The basketball legend played for the Lakers for his entire 20-year career. He made his debut with the team in 1996 after being drafted out of high school.
