May 25th, 2016 Summer Games Catalog Auction (#46)

Lot #534:

1996-97 Kobe Bryant Rookie Los Angeles Lakers Game-Used & Autographed Sneakers (Full JSA LOA • Laker Employee LOA)

Adidas manufactured white sneakers with black and grey trim. The outside toe area of each sneaker has an Adidas logo done in silver stitching and on the tongue of each sneaker reads, “adidas EQUIPMENT” with a black logo above embroidered. The back of each sneaker has a face logo in silver and black stitching. Kobe Bryant signed the front right part of each sneaker in black pen with the added inscription, “To Dante” and in our opinion rates a 7-8 overall. These sneakers are properly tagged, were presented to us as game-used and in our opinion show appropriate use. Accompanied by a full JSA LOA, an additional LOA and a Laker employee LOA.

This lot is part of a family owned collection of some of the best Kobe Bryant memorabilia ever publicly auctioned. Every item is hobby fresh. The timing could not be more perfect, as the basketball world recently celebrated Bryant's final farewell season in the NBA. Bryant is one of the league's greatest players of all time and will be remembered for being one of the only players who could muster up a killer instinct akin to Michael Jordan. Bryant won five NBA championships, was a two-time NBA Finals MVP and was named the regular season MVP once. Bryant holds the record for the most consecutive All-Star Game appearances with 18 and was named to 15 All-NBA Teams. Bryant put in the work on both ends of the floor and was named to nine NBA All-Defensive First Teams. The two-time scoring champion is the Los Angeles Lakers all-time leading scorer and ranks third on both the league's all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring lists. Grey Flannel Auctions is honored to offer this lot of the soon-to-be Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductee to our bidders.