A game-worn Kobe Bryant jersey is on the auction block and could fetch as much as $5 million, according to a report from TMZ.
The number 8 jersey is from the late Lakers superstar’s 1996-97 season, which was Bryant’s rookie year. He reportedly wore the jersey for five games between April and May, including two playoff games.
The Lakers were 56-26 that year, the first that paired Bryant with Shaquille O’Neal, and they went on to reach the Western Conference semifinals, before falling to the Jazz in five games.
Per TMZ, experts at SCP Auctions, which is handling the sale, said it’s the only jersey to be photo-matched from Bryant’s rookie season, which makes it a rare piece.
As for the jersey itself, it’s classic Lakers gold with purple lettering and trim. It also has two patches at the bottom, including Bryant’s size, a 44.
Bryant spent 20 years in the NBA before retiring in 2016 after five NBA championships and two Finals MVP awards. He was tragically killed, along with eight others, including his daughter Gianna, in a helicopter crash outside Los Angeles in January 2020.
The auction will end on June 4.