Over two years after his tragic death, Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant’s memorabilia has only gotten even more valuable.
Jerseys, other game-worn gear, basketball cards, etc. – they have all accrued some serious value of late.
For example, a very rare Kobe Bryant card went for $2 million in February.
Now, a game-worn Bryant jersey from the playoffs in his rookie season has been sold for an even higher sum.
Via Lakers Daily:
“Recently, a game-worn Bryant jersey, which he used during his first postseason, reportedly sold for more than $2 million.
“‘Kobe Bryant’s game-worn Lakers jersey from his first playoff series — the only one publicly known/available — just sold for a riiiiiiidiculous amount of money … $2,735,546 million, to be exact!’ TMZ Sports reported.
“‘The threads were on the block at SCP Auctions … and after 26 bids, the purple and gold Lakers home jersey went for 7 figures.'”
As a rookie during the 1996-97 season, Bryant didn’t play much, averaging just 15.5 minutes per game in the regular season and 14.8 minutes a game in the playoffs.
His playing time was sporadic that year, and so was his performance.
After the Lakers got past the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the 1997 postseason, they lost to the veteran Utah Jazz in five games in the Western Conference semifinals.
In the final game of that series, Bryant infamously shot several airballs in crunch time.
But it would take just three more years for him to start collecting championship rings while coming up clutch time and time again in big games.
