Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant may have died four years ago in a tragic helicopter crash, but he is one of those greats who will live on forever in some ways.
His merchandise is still highly sought, and some of it can still fetch top dollar.
On Wednesday, a jersey he won during Game 1 of the 2009 NBA Finals was auctioned during the Los Angeles Lakers Capsule Collection, and it ended up selling for $1.75 million.
Via cllct.com:
“The Los Angeles Lakers Capsule Collection, the first of six auctions comprising Sotheby’s Sports Week, closed Wednesday afternoon, highlighted by Kobe Bryant’s 2009 NBA Finals game-worn jersey selling for $1.75 million,” wrote Will Stern.
Back then, Bryant was still pursuing his first NBA championship without Shaquille O’Neal, and he was looking to avenge his team’s brutal six-game loss to its archrival Boston Celtics in the previous year’s NBA Finals. He scored 40 points, to go along with eight assists, eight rebounds, two steals and two blocked shots in a 100-75 win over the Orlando Magic.
That victory set the tone for the series, which Los Angeles took in five games, giving Bryant the fourth of his five rings.
As impressive as that $1.75 million sum was, it wasn’t even close to the highest dollar figure one of Bryant’s game-worn jerseys has auctioned for. Last year, one that he wore during the first round of the 2008 playoffs against the Denver Nuggets went for $5.8 million.
