The jersey worn by the late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant in his rookie season was recently sold at an auction for $2.73 million. The auction was organized by SCP Auctions and finalized on Sunday.
Announcing the winning bid, the SCP Auctions said that both seller and buyer wished to remain anonymous.
The jersey in question was worn by Bryant in multiple games during 1996–97, including two postseason games. It was in the seller’s possession for more than 25 years. The estimated price before the auction was between $3 million and $5 million.
Despite the steep price, this isn’t the most expensive Bryant’s jersey. Back in 2021, another of Bryant’s rookie season jerseys made it to the auction. That one was sold for $3.69 million—the highest price ever paid for a basketball jersey. It was not only worn by Bryant but also had his autograph.
During his rookie season with the Lakers, Kobe Bryant played mostly as a backup and averaged 7.6 points per game. Despite the lack of playing time, he made the NBA All-Rookie Second Team. Bryant also made nine appearances in the playoffs in his first year as a pro, scoring 8.2 points on average.
Bryant would go on to win five NBA championships with the Lakers while being named NBA MVP in 2008. The 18-time All-Star retired following the 2015–16 NBA season. He died in a tragic helicopter accident on January 26, 2020.
