Kobe Bryant spent the 2002-03 NBA season wearing sneakers from several different brands after leaving adidas, and one of those pairs is now up for auction. It’s a Lakers-colored Air Jordan 8 that he wore against the Boston Celtics on March 21, 2003. Both shoes have Kobe’s autograph and his No. 8 written on them. The Realest is handling the sale, with bidding ending November 8.

The sneakers are being auctioned alongside one of Bryant’s game-worn Lakers jerseys from the 2003-04 season. Bidding on the jersey has already reached $787,000, and both pieces are scheduled to close on the same day.

Sneaker free agency has gotten attention again with Stephen Curry wearing shoes from different brands, including the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low OG and Kyrie Irving’s ANTA KAI 3. Kobe went through something similar more than 20 years ago. His adidas deal had ended, and he spent the following season playing in everything from Reebok and AND1 to Converse, Nike, and Jordan Brand.

Kobe hadn’t signed with Nike yet, so there was plenty of interest in where he’d end up. He was already a three-time NBA champion at that point, and several brands had a chance to get their shoes on his feet during games. Jordan Brand was among them, making special Air Jordan models in Lakers colors for him to wear.

The Air Jordan 8 being sold is one of those player exclusives, with photos confirming Kobe wore the pair during the Lakers’ win over Boston in March 2003. His signatures appear on the straps across both shoes. The sneakers are part of The Realest’s Kobe auction, where bidding has reportedly reached as high as $700,000.

Bidding on both Kobe Bryant’s game-worn Air Jordan 8 sneakers and his historic No. 8 Lakers jersey closes Sunday, November 8, 2026, exclusively at TheRealest.com. Check out the photos below.

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