1998 Kobe Bryant All-Star Game Crazy 8 Game Worn Sneakers - Kobe's 1st ASG

There were 24 players who spent time on the floor at Madison Square Garden during the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, but what most fans cared about was the mano-a-mano battle between aging veteran Michael Jordan of the East and upstart teenage phenom Kobe Bryant of the West. Bryant was the NBA’s heir apparent to Jordan, who was expected to retire following the 1997-98 season, and the matchup between the two stars was the headlining attraction coming into the game. Kobe and MJ exchanged shots, dunks, and tight defense throughout the night, with Jordan taking home game MVP honors with 23 points and eight assists, and Bryant leading the West with 18 points. “I didn’t expect myself to come out here and win the MVP,” Jordan said after the East won 135-114. “I just wanted to make sure Kobe didn’t dominate me.” Bryant—who thrilled on the All-Star scene the year before as the Slam Dunk contest champion—was the third player in NBA history to serve in a bench role throughout the season and get elected as an All-Star starter. To celebrate the occasion, he wore a black and white colorway of his Adidas Crazy 8 sneakers that featured trimmings in the purple and gold of the Lakers and saw his jersey No. 8 stitched into the base of the tongue. Kobe’s All-Star worn shoes from February 8, 1998, are available in this month’s Premier Auction—the first pair of game-worn footwear ever featured in a PWCC auction has been photo matched by Resolution Photomatching and Real Game Used (see below for full details). The game marked the first of 18 All-Star appearances for Bryant, who claimed a record-tying four All-Star MVP honors throughout his career. It is hard to imagine Jordan quaking in his Nikes because of a 19-year-old opponent, but if there was ever a 19-year-old who could fervently grab the attention of His Airness, it was Kobe—who to this day remains the youngest player ever to play in the NBA All-Star Game. Jordan was bed-ridden with the flu in the days leading up the 1998 All-Star Game, and from the opening tip, Kobe put on the pressure—there would be no rest while the spotlight shined in the city that never sleeps. “I’m just having fun, having a good time,” Bryant said during a halftime interview. “Michael is a great player, one of the best players of all time. What better way to learn the game than by going at him?” Jordan—perhaps the most competitive player in NBA history—was not about to be upstaged in what he expected to be his final All-Star appearance. When Kobe dared him to dance, a simple waltz would not suffice because it takes two to tango—even if Nikes and Adidas look clunkier than sleek blue suede shoes. Resolution Photomatching Letter of Photomatch with match point photos: In the opinion of Resolution Photomatching, the left shoe has been ResMatched to images of Kobe Bryant from February 8, 1998. A ResMatch is defined as showing characteristics that have been determined to be definitively identical between the subject item researched and the image(s) of the player, and definitively unique to the subject item researched. These criteria confirm that the subject item is the exact same item that is visible in the image(s) of the player. A Likely Photomatch was made to the right shoe from an image dated 2/8/1998. The image showed Bryant from behind, mid-air as he tried to defend Michael Jordan. Bryant’s body is shifted toward the right (right and left are referred to from the player’s perspective), with his left shoe lifted above his right shoe, making the heel of the right shoe visible. The image showed a possible matching mark on the inner heel of the right shoe that appeared to be matching between the subject shoes and player image. However, the image was determined to be a Likely Photomatch as opposed to a ResMatch due to lack of image clarity. The ResMatch Characteristics note a ResMatch was made based on marks on the left shoe. Specifically, a matching mark on the upper right corner of the inner side of the white midsole of the left shoe, a matching mark on the upper center of the inner side of the white midsole of the left shoe, and a matching mark on the lower center of the inner side of the white midsole of the left shoe. A Comparison Analysis was performed using a number of other Kobe Bryant shoes from the 1998 season. At the completion of the Comparison Analysis process, all characteristics noted above as ResMatch characteristics were determined to be definitively unique to these specific shoes. The Comparison Analysis process allows us to determine whether potential ResMatch characteristics are unique to the subject item. In order for a characteristic to be relied upon as a ResMatch characteristic, it must be confirmed to be definitively unique. This ensures that what is shown in the player image is the exact same characteristic as on the subject item, not a different characteristic that is indistinguishable. On the Image Analysis three images were the most notable in the image analysis of the ResMatch date. The first image showed Bryant as he was defended by Grant Hill, Bryant’s body is shifted toward the left, as his left foot is behind his right which is lifted in the air. The image showed the entirety of his left and right shoes with higher clarity details of the left shoe. This image showed the ResMatch characteristic of marks on the heel of the midsole of the left shoe. The second image showed Bryant as he dunked the ball, with his left shoe mid-air faced forward and his right shoe turned to the right. The image showed the ResMatch characteristic of marks near the heel on the inner side of the midsole of the left shoe, though glare could have caused possible distortion. The third image showed Bryant defending against Michael Jordan as Jordan took a jump shot. The image showed the ResMatch characteristic of marks near the heel of the midsole of the left shoe. Other images were used during the image analysis process, but the above-mentioned images were most notable. Davious Sports Letter of Photomatch with match point photos: Davious Sports determined two matches to images of Kobe Bryant from February 8, 1998. The first image showed Bryant as he was defended by Grant Hill; Bryant's body is shifted toward the left, as his left foot is behind his right which is lifted in the air. The image showed the entirety of his left and right shoes with higher clarity details of the left shoe. The image showed marks on the heel of the midsole of the left shoe to provide the Photomatch (Note: Same image as Resolution Photomatching). The second image showed Bryant in a Los Angeles Lakers All-Stars Team Photoshoot with Nick Van Exel, Eddie Jones, and Shaquille O'Neal. The second photo match was made using the design pattern on the inner lining of the shoe. Real Game Used Letter of Apparent Photomatch: RGU determined an apparent photo match which details the sneakers are photo-matched based on identifying markings on the white outsoles of the sneakers. The shoes have player sample tagging with a manufacturing date marked as “12/18/97.” The shoes display extensive wear that includes scuffs, creases, heavy piling from socks, and even the odor of extended use, which leads RGU to believe that the sneakers were worn for an extended period by Bryant. This colorway and make was debuted by Bryant during the ‘98 All-Star Game but was later seen worn by Bryant during the 1998 Western Conference quarterfinals and also during the 1998 Western Conference finals. Due to the lack of clear available images from the 1998 NBA All-Star Game, RGU was only able to determine an apparent photo match for the sneakers.