A then-18-year-old Bryant wore the famous yellow jersey with the No. 8 during his first media day, his preseason debut and his regular season debut on November 3, 1996, as well as in four other games.

Kobe Bryant denied Mike D’Antoni influenced his iconic No. 8 jersey choice, debunking rumors tied to D’Antoni as Kobe’s childhood idol during his Italy years.

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant's debut jerseys will be exhibited to the public by Sotheby's on March 21. Buyers will soon be able to bid online on the Jordan jersey and the Bryant jersey.

Story by Kobe Bryant's debut jersey last sold for $115,242 in 2013, but it has since been photo-matched. (cllct photo by Matt Liberman) Will Stern Thu, Apr 24, 2025 · 2 min read ...

In the 1997 playoffs, Kobe’s numbers stayed mostly the same, averaging 8.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 38 percent shooting from the field in nine games.

Kobe Bryant denied Mike D’Antoni influenced his iconic No. 8 jersey choice, debunking rumors tied to D’Antoni as Kobe’s childhood idol during his Italy years.