One of the earliest game-worn, autographed Kobe Bryant items ever to come to public auction will be coming to auction soon.
Lelands will offer a signed t-shirt worn by the late NBA superstar as a 17-year-old phenom during the 1996 Magic Johnson Roundball Classic.
Only two months before becoming the first guard drafted straight out of high school, Bryant made a lasting impression at the event, held at The Palace at Auburn Hills, executing a memorable slam dunk over future NBA All-Star Jamaal Magloire.
The Adidas t-shirt he wore under his jersey in the second half, autographed immediately after the game, will be up for auction in Lelands’ 2020 Spring Classic Auction.
Immediately after the game Bryant, who was swarmed by the media and interviewed by Dick Vitale for ESPN2, can be seen still wearing the sweat-stained t-shirt. Shortly after that interview, the consignor managed to talk with Bryant, requesting the shoes he wore during the game. Kobe passed on giving up the kicks, and instead grabbed his Adidas t-shirt, signed it, and handed it to the fan.
The shirt was consigned through Green Eyes Estate Sales in Royal Oak, Michigan. It includes an Adidas patch on the left shoulder and a full-name signature along with his high school number 33. The signature has been authenticated by PSA/DNA. The consignor’s ticket stub to the game is included.
Generously, the consignor is earmarking 10% of the proceeds from the sale of the shirt for donation to the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation.
Set to open later this month, the Lelands catalog will also include numerous high-end autographed Bryant cards and at least one pair of photo-matched game-worn shoes.
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