[hlc1949]

*ALL ITEMS PC NOT FS/T

Time flies, seems like yesterday I was chasing his rookie cards. Nothing fancy, just plain old rookie cards. I liked his game. Now he's retired....unbelievable!

Kobe High school



Rookie cards












My first Kobe Autograph


A couple of my favorite early autographs



A few simple pretty base cards





A young champion; 2000, 2001, 2002 with Shaq


I attended the 2/2/09, NY knicks vs LA Lakers game played at Madison Square Garden. Kobe Bryant scored 61 pts that night, breaking the record for most pts ever scored by a player in a basketball game at the garden. I saved the ticket and had it PSA graded & slabbed. I also find the ticket interesting because it was the Knicks' 24th home game printed on the ticket (K24), Kobe's initials and jersey #. I've also have the Daily News' coverage of this historical event, and an "Exquisite Collection" #/10 inscription card that I pulled, inscribed by Kobe and Lebron. Lebron played the Knicks at the Garden two days later scoring 52pts.





After the 61 points the 2008-09 NBA Champions, Kobe's first without Shaq. This is a Sports Illustrated BGS Uncirculated 6/22/09 magazine published when the Lakers won that championship. Sports Illustrated issued a limited number of this regional issue with the "NBA Champions Kobe's Moment" cover.


Kobe and the Lakers went on to win another championship 2009-10. Here is the SI BGS uncirculated magazine issued memorializing the event. I also pulled a very nice quadruple autographed card honoring the championship.




Some say he was the best after Michael


Who got next......

[vgqv]

Great tribute. Was fun to read, thanks for sharing. I just wanted to clarify that while Kobe (61pts on 2/2/09) did break Bernard King's previous record (60pts on 12/25/84) for most points scored @ MSG IV he no longer holds that record. It was broken by Carmelo Anthony on 1/24/14 who scored 62pts. However, Wilt Chamberlain trumps them all as he scored 73pts (11/16/62) but that was @ MSG III, not at MSG IV - the modern MSG. Don't kill the Knicks fan, it's a hard time being one these days.

[djohn]

Great tribute and nice collection. I watched last night's game, and with his slow start I wasn't expecting him to finish with 60 and win the game the way he did. Definitely one of the best final games of a career I have ever seen.

[jonathani]

He let them make cards without patches?