(LOT 167)
1996 Topps Chrome #138 Kobe Bryant Rookie Refractor PSA 10 GEM MINT
KOBES BEST ROOKIE CARD!!! Kobe Bean Bryant (August 23, 1978-) was a high school phenom who was the Number 1 high school basketball player in the country and the recipient of the 1996 Naismith Prep Player of the Year as he averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 4.0 steals in his senior season. It seemed that every major college basketball team wanted the talented guard, Kobe decided to make himself eligible for the 1996 NBA Draft. The Charlotte Hornets took Bryant with the 13th overall pick of the 1996 NBA Draft making him the first guard ever taken out of high school.

The Hornets immediately traded Bryant to the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant had an amazing first three years in the league earning a spot on the 1997 NBA All-Rookie Second Team, was named to his first of 17 All-Star appearances in 1998, while also leading the Lakers to the Western Conference Finals alongside Shaquille O'Neal. Bryant has been named to his first of 15 consecutive All-NBA Teams and 12 All-NBA Defensive Teams. Over his 20-year NBA career, spent only with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe played in 8 Western Conference Finals, won 5 NBA Finals Championships (2000-2002, 2009-2010) and was the 2009 and 2010 NBA Finals MVP. Kobe led the NBA in points 4 times, field goal attempts six times, games and field goals 3 times, twice in free throws and once in free throw attempts.

In 2007-08, Kobe led the NBA in games (82), field goal attempts (1,690) and points (2,323) to earn the coveted NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He played on two United States Olympic Gold Medal teams (2008, 2012) and won the 2007 FIBA Americas Championships. In his career Kobe Bryant scored 33,643 points, hit 11,719 field goals on 26,200 attempts, had 1,827 three pointers in 5,546 attempts and scored 8,378 free throws in 10,011 attempts. He is a 12-time NBA Defensive First Team selection and collected 6,800 total rebounds, 6,122 assists, 627 blocks and 1,882 steals. As a 34-year old, Bryant became the youngest player in history to reach 30,000 points and he is the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history.

With all that being said we are excited about offering Kobes most valuable Rookie card. This 1996 Topps Chrome refractor is in a PSA 10 GEM MINT 10 holder. The refractor version has an "R' on the back under the card number verifying it is a refractor. Well worthy of its GEM MINT 10 status, this card is well centered, perfect all the way around and a card anybody would love to own. Who knows where this card will be in the upcoming years!!!

MIN BID $7,500
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