Kobe Bryant's Lakers Debut Jersey Sells for Astronomical Amount

Feb 23, 2020; Los Angeles, California, USA; The retired number 8 and 24 jerseys of Los Angeles Lakers deceased player Kobe Bryant are illuminated during the NBA game between the Celtics and the Lakers at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Hall of Fame Los Angeles star Kobe Bryant's debut threads fetched a pretty penny at auction.

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The former 2008 league MVP, one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history, had the No. 8 jersey he wore in his debut game, a November 3, 1996, matchup against Kevin Garnett's Minnesota Timberwolves, sell for an insane $7 million in a recent auction, per BBC News.

During that fateful 1996-97 rookie season, the 17-year-old joined then-L.A. general manager Jerry West's other huge summer acquisition, $100 million free agent signing Shaquille O'Neal, plus returning All-Stars Eddie Jones and Nick Van Exel, to form an encouraging core in a talented Western Conference.

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The Lakers traded star center Vlade Divac to the Charlotte Hornets for the rights to select a rookie Bryant with the No. 13 pick straight out of Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia. He was part of a decorated 1996 NBA Draft class that also included eventual Hall of Famers Allen Iverson (the No. 1 pick), Ray Allen (No. 4), and Steve Nash (No. 15), plus Ben Wallace — although Wallace went undrafted out of Virginia Union.

That draft was famously loaded with talent. It also included eventual Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby and future All-Stars Stephon Marbury, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Antoine Walker, Peja Stojakovic, Jermaine O'Neal, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas.

Appearing in just 71 games that season, Bryant averaged 7.6 points on .417/.375/.819 shooting splits, 1.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.7 steals a night.

Under then-head coach Del Harris, the Lakers finished with a 56-26 record and advanced to the second round of the playoffs, where they fell in five games to the Karl Malone-John Stockton-era Utah Jazz.

Bryant had a lot to do with that Game 5 defeat. 18 by that point, the 6-foot-6 swingman chucked four airballs to help doom the club in a must-win contest.

The year is 1997.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in a must-win scenario against the Malone & Stockton led Utah Jazz.

In the fourth quarter and overtime, Kobe Bryant put up not just 1 airball.

Not 2.

Not 3.

But 4.

Ultimately shooting the Lakers out of the game and ending… pic.twitter.com/NMqC1W3ghJ

— Nik Atanackovic (@victorywithnik) February 2, 2024

Of course, a resilient Bryant didn't let a simple devastating postseason defeat get him down.

He went on to lead the Lakers to seven NBA Finals between 2000 and 2010, winning five. After 20 seasons, all with the Lakers, the 18-time All-Star finally hung up his sneakers for good in 2016. Tragically, Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and seven other souls perished in a Calabasas helicopter accident in January 2020.

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