Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game shooting shirt sold for $277,000 at auction
Kobe Bryant’s shooting shirt from his iconic 81-point game just sold for a massive $277,000 at auction — and the lucky buyer also got a one-of-one NFT that came with it. The shirt is a one-of-a-kind piece … not only was it worn by the Mamba before he scored the 2nd-most points ever in an NBA game (back in 2006), experts at Sotheby’s tell TMZ Sports it’s the ONLY worn piece from that game on the market. We’re told it was worn six other times by Kobe, too — including in the 2006 playoffs.
Source: TMZ Staff @ TMZ.com
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Michael Jordan. First ballot Hall of Famer.
Kobe Bryant. First ballot Hall of Famer. (Rest in Power).
LeBron James: Future first ballot Hall of Famer.
Jamal Crawford: Should make the Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/gccviB5aOe – 11:58 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Most points in a game after turning 35:
60 — Kobe Bryant
56 — LeBron James pic.twitter.com/yPRhhSQsTN – 11:39 PM
Alex Kennedy @AlexKennedyNBA
LeBron James had 56 points, 10 boards, 3 assists in the Lakers’ win over the Warriors. He shot 19-31 (61.3%) from the field, 6-11 (54.5%) from three and 12-13 (92.3%) from the FT line.
Only one other player age-37 or older had 51+ points in a game: Kobe Bryant in his final game. – 11:16 PM
Bob Garcia @bgarciaivsports
LeBron James’ 56 points tonight is the second-highest single-game performance for a player age 37 or older, only trailing Kobe Bryant’s 60 points in his final game. pic.twitter.com/tW6DyIGGyc – 11:11 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
LeBron is the 7th Laker with at least 54 points in a game: Mikan (1x), Baylor (6x), West (1x), Wilt (2x), Shaq (1x), Kobe (9x).
(via @JoeyARamirez) – 11:01 PM
Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Only four players in NBA history have scored 50+ points in a game after celebrating their 37th birthday:
Michael Jordan,
Jamal Crawford and
Kobe Bryant
And now
LeBron James – 10:50 PM
Mike Trudell @LakersReporter
– @LeBron James is the 7th Laker with multiple 50-point games.*
– LeBron (2x)
– Shaq (2x)
– Chamberlain (2x)
– Mikan (4x)
– West (5x)
– Baylor (17x)
– Kobe (25x)
*51 at Miami his first season in L.A., and tonight. – 10:50 PM
Ben Golliver @BenGolliver
Lakers’ LeBron James with his 13th career 50-point game.
– Second among active players to James Harden (23).
– Seventh all-time behind Wilt Chamberlain (118), Michael Jordan (31), Kobe Bryant (25), Harden, Elgin Baylor (17) & Rick Barry (14). – 10:49 PM
Ben Golliver @BenGolliver
Oldest NBA players to score 50+ points in a game
1. Suns’ Jamal Crawford in 2019: 39 years old
2. Wizards’ Michael Jordan in 2001: 38 years old
3. Lakers’ Kobe Bryant in 2016: 37 years, 234 days old
4. Lakers’ LeBron James vs. Warriors: 37 years, 65 days old – 10:48 PM
Chris Palmer @ChrisPalmerNBA
Can LeBron get Kobe’s 60? – 10:44 PM
More on this storyline
The lucky buyer is David Kohler, President of SCP Auctions and owner of one of the largest private Lakers memorabilia collections in the world, and he said after the sale he’s pumped to now own the item. “After collecting Kobe Bryant memorabilia throughout many years, I am thrilled and honored to add this very special artifact from one of the most significant games in NBA history to my collection,” Kohler said. -via TMZ.com / March 6, 2022
