Though he had not yet burst into the Los Angeles Lakers’ starting lineup, Kobe Bryant took an essential place in the basketball card industry in 1997. In only his second season, Kobe had already become one of the most exciting young players the NBA had seen in years, inspiring collectors to move cards like his 1997 E-X2001 Essential Credentials Future parallel toward the top of their wish lists. As Kobe developed into one of the league’s most decorated players, and rare parallels from the 1990s became increasingly difficult to find on the open market, demand for such cards increased exponentially.
Many collectors fondly remember the second year of the popular premium brand from SkyBox, which built on the success of the 1996 E-X2000 set – an experimental release that utilized a plastic stock, intricate layering, and die-cutting. For the 80-card follow-up series, 1997 E-X2001, the company put a twist on the Credentials parallel with a new plastic stock, unique serial numbering, and two tiers that offered more scarcity.
The 1997 Essential Credentials Future parallel features a pink color scheme and serial numbering that runs in inverse order of card numbers. As such, Bryant’s card #8 is /73.
The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 07/08/2025.
