Los Angeles Lakers jersey worn by Kobe Bryant in rookie season sells at auction for $2.73 million

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. — A Los Angeles Lakers jersey worn by Kobe Bryant in his rookie season, including two playoff games, has sold at auction for $2.73 million.

SCP Auctions said Sunday the buyer wished to remain anonymous, as did the seller, who had the jersey for 25 years. David Kohler of SCP Auctions had estimated the jersey from the 1996-97 season would fetch between $3 million and $5 million.

Another of Bryant's rookie jerseys went for $3.69 million last year. That autographed, yellow game-worn jersey fetched the highest price ever for a basketball jersey.

The winning bidder this time acquired the No. 8 jersey Bryant wore for the Lakers in regular-season wins at the old Forum on April 13, 1997, against Utah and April 17, 1997, against Sacramento. The jersey's authenticity was verified by independent authenticators, who photo-matched it, Kohler said.

Bryant was killed on Jan. 26, 2020, in a California helicopter crash that also took the lives of his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven others.