Kobe Bryant Game-Used Sneakers Sell for $240K at Auction
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Yesterday, a pair of Kobe Bryant game-used sneakers, recently photo-matched to the NBA legend's first-ever start in the league, sold for a record $240,000 through SCP Auctions. Bryant's first start came on January 28, 1997, when he was only 18 years and 158 days old - making him the youngest person to ever start an NBA game.
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Per SCP Auction's website: "The LOA from Sports Investors Authentication states that the company: "photo matched these shoes being worn by Kobe Bryant on January 28, 1997 — Bryant's first career NBA game as a starter." This information proved to seriously heighten the value of the shoes, which had previously sold for just over $34,000 in November 2024. Interestingly, while the Goldin listing did mention the date to which the shoes were photo-matched as January 28, 1997, the memorabilia was not tied to the occasion of Kobe's first time in the starting lineup.
Historic Kobe Bryant Signed L.A. Lakers Rookie Game Worn Adidas Shoes Photomatched to 1st NBA Start 🐍 pic.twitter.com/0DeIqRbuLK
— SCP Auctions (@SCPAuctions) July 23, 2025
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The auction itself received 25 bids, with the winner coming in just under a quarter of a million dollars.
Recently, a pair of game-used, signed and inscribed Kobe Bryant sneakers from the 2012 London Olympic Games sold at Goldin for just over $107,000.
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The game-used first-start sneakers were not the only big Bryant collectible sale of the week. Over at Fanatics Premier, a 1998 Skybox Premium Star Rubies Kobe Bryant /50 sold for $96,000 after an auction that received 56 bids. The card has a PSA 6 grade, and, per Card Ladder, the $96,000 is the most ever paid for a version of this card. A PSA 7 sold for $34,999 in 2022.
Also at Fanatics Premier his 1997 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems PMG Red /100 sold for $144,000. The Red /100 sale was the highest amount paid for a version of the card since 2022. The
Michael Terry is a writer based in Brooklyn. He specializes in sports, culture, and collecting. His work has appeared at Topps RIPPED, ESPN, Grantland, Vice Sports, and more.
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