“A Kobe Bryant Superfan’s collection was akin to priceless art pieces in the Louvre”: A Pawn Stars episode had Rick and Chum Lee looking at a Basketball signed by Michael Jordan, Kobe and Phil Jackson

What do Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have in common? They both played under Phil Jackson and won multiple championships

Nick, a Kobe super fan has an insane Kobe Bryant collection. Signed game-worn jerseys, posters, and pre-game jackets make up most of the collection. He also has game-worn sneakers, with all of them being signed. But the crown jewel of the collection was a basketball in a display case.

That Basketball was signed by 3 of the game’s biggest names – The Black Mamba himself, Phil Jackson, and Michael Jordan. Such an item is so rare, that it could be a one-off. No price can be put on such a rare item since the trio was responsible for 11 championships since the 90s.

Chum Lee could not contain himself in the presence of such rare items and had his way. He picked out a few interesting pieces, one of them being a wooden board from the last home game at the Forum Center. The other was an Allen Iverson Reebok Question Mid sneaker, from when the Mamba decided not to sign with any shoe company. The 11 items he picked were bought for 40,000 dollars, a steal considering the effect this man has had on basketball.

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Kobe Bryant was a legend on and off the court – his memorabilia after his passing have skyrocketed in price

Los Angeles legend Kobe Bryant was a legend because of his commitment and mentality. He made sure he gave it his all and brought that Mamba Mentality to all the teams he was a part of. No. 8 and No. 24 were different animals, with one being cutthroat and the other a sniper assassin.

It’s this drive to be the best that drew fans to him – anything associated with him, the fans want. His passing makes his signature worth a lot more now. Is it immoral to sell a dead man’s signature for a premium? Sure, but do you expect a pawn shop to do business morally?

And when your name is Rick Harrison of the Pawn Stars, you make sure you get the lowest possible for any collection. Fleecing is an art, and Rick is a master at it. You can see it when he charges Chum Lee 19,000 dollars for just one item. He paid 40,000 for 11 items. The items are so rare and niche, that there can be no price determinant. The only control is how much a collector is willing to pay.

Also Read: “I play basketball, and I am going to be a superstar one day”: An 8th graded Kobe Bryant was unfazed in answering the future three-peat winners Horace Grant and Michael Jordan