Kobe Bryant’s NBA career began when he checked into the second game of the 1996 season. Initially replacing Cedric Ceballos late in the first quarter, Bryant made his debut against the Timberwolves, and in 6:22 of action. He grabbed a rebound, blocked a shot, and missed his only field-goal attempt. A photographer captured Kobe in action during that game, and Topps used a photo from his debut on his 1996-97 Topps Basketball rookie card, capturing Bryant driving around Cherokee Parks.
When Topps transferred that image to its inaugural 1996-97 Topps Chrome set, the company unknowingly created one of the most iconic basketball rookie cards of all-tiime—a card still instantly recognizable nearly three decades later.
Further adding to this copy's prestige is the fact that it's a Gem Mint PSA 10.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 06/08/2026.
