The iconic Kobe Bryant spent the entirety of his 20-year-long NBA career playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant joined the Lakers from the Charlotte Hornets a month after being drafted by the Hornets in 1996. He had a notable NBA debut season in 1996-97 as a rookie.
His official NBA debut was back on November 3, 1996, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bryant’s jersey from that rookie season, which he wore both in pre-season and regular season, has been sold for a mammoth $7 million at Sotheby’s.
The jersey was originally auctioned in 2012 for $115K, but the item has since grown leaps and bounds in its value. Bryant’s NBA debut season was significant, and he averaged 7.6 points per game during the campaign.
Kobe Bryant’s jersey is now the second most valuable in NBA history
The $7 million selling price meant Kobe Bryant’s jersey is now the second most valuable jersey in NBA history. Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey remains the top with a value of $10 million.
The third place is also held by Bryant from his MVP season back in 2007-08. The memorabilia from that season is valued at $5.8 million. Check out the full list below:
JUST IN: Kobe Bryant’s 1996-97 rookie debut jersey has sold for $7 million at Sotheby’s—setting a new record for any Kobe memorabilia sold at auction. Originally auctioned for just over $115K in 2012, the game-worn Lakers jersey has skyrocketed in value thanks to its unmatched… pic.twitter.com/T4Oi3vu9Zw
— Boardroom (@boardroom) April 24, 2025
Bryant played in the NBA between 1996 and 2016. He was a part of the LA Lakers for the full 20 years. Bryant wore the number 8 and number 24 jerseys during that period. The jersey recently auctioned is the number 8 worn by Bryant.
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Bryant won the championship five times in his career: in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009, and 2010. He died on January 26, 2010, due to a helicopter crash at the age of 41.
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