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LeBron James’ game-worn shoes that were gifted directly from Kobe Bryant sell for $156K

Published by

Brad Sullivan

February 28, 2021 3:23 pm

A pair of sneakers worn by LeBron James that were given to him by Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant in 2002 were purchased for $156,000 at an auction.

At the time that James was given the sneakers by Bryant, James was a high school basketball star one year away from entering the NBA. Meanwhile, Bryant was establishing himself as an NBA legend as part of a third consecutive championship team for the Lakers.

James and Bryant would go on to face each other many times on the court until Bryant retired in 2016 after spending 20 seasons in a Lakers uniform.

Two years after Bryant’s retirement, James joined the Lakers in free agency and forged an even stronger bond with Bryant. Of course, that bond tragically ended on Jan. 26 of last year.

Bryant’s shocking death in a helicopter crash stunned the sports world and devastated James, who ended up leading the Lakers to the 2020 NBA title.

Brad Sullivan

Brad is a freelance writer for LakersDaily.com, who can clearly recall watching Lakers games in 1972 as they captured the first of their 11 Los Angeles-based titles. The franchise's evolution into a beloved and iconic franchise among its fan base since that memorable year allows for a wider perspective to be a part of his writing about the team's current fortunes.