Heritage Auctions is selling off a pair of sneakers bestowed upon LeBron James by the late Kobe Bryant back in 2002, when Bryant was coming off a three-peat and James was still just a high-schooler. The adidas Kobe 2s, which are decorated with patriotic images to honor the victims of the 9/11 attack, feature a lace-less look and bold imagery in addition to the meaning behind their connection to both James and Bryant.
Chris Ivy, the director of sports at Heritage Auctions, said the company was contacted by a collector who discovered the sneakers at an estate sale in Akron, and after researching the sneakers, realized what exactly they had.
“Upon review of the sneakers and the corresponding footage and images of LeBron discussing that they were gifted to him from Kobe Bryant, we quickly knew that we had something special on our hands,” Ivy told Uproxx.
The current top bid is $15,500, but especially after Bryant’s death last year and James’ championship with the Lakers in 2020, the sneakers are sure to fetch a massive sum, whether from a memorabilia collector, a Kobe stan, or just a Lakers diehard. Everything from sports cards to NBA Topshot graphics have become popular during the pandemic, so don’t be surprised if the bids rise on these Mambas quickly.
