The game ball from Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s first-ever NBA championship victory with the Los Angeles Lakers just made history at auction, selling for a record $508,000, according to TMZ Sports.
Ball Was Signed By 12 Lakers Members
Per Sotheby’s listing, bidding for the item was part of the Sotheby’s “Winter Sports Classic,” with the auction house listing roughly $30 million worth of sports memorabilia at The Breuer Building in New York.
The ball was reportedly used in Game 6 of the 2000 NBA Finals. It was signed by 12 members of the Lakers, including Bryant and O’Neal. Bidding closed late Thursday at 9:06 p.m. ET.
Sotheby’s just opened their winter auction and there is a spectacular ball used when the Lakers clinched the 2000 NBA Championship.
Kobe and Shaq’s 1st Title.
A bid was just placed for $508,000 including BP. pic.twitter.com/aZdSO4AEmz
— Chase Jordan (@goatcollect) November 25, 2025
A spokesperson for Sotheby’s told TMZ Sports that the previous high mark belonged to the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Game 7 ball from the 2025 NBA Finals, which sold for just over $107,000.
The Game 6 ball is accompanied by photomatch letters from Meigray and Sports Investors Authentication. It is also accompanied by a PSA letter for the signatures, according to Sotheby’s.
Lakers Defeated Pacers In 2000 NBA Finals
The Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in six games.
The 1999-00 Lakers finished the regular season with 67 wins, their most since the 1971-72 team won a franchise-record of 69 games. It officially marked the beginning of the O’Neal-Bryant-Phil Jackson era.
The 2000 title was also the Lakers’ first NBA championship since 1988, ending a 12-year title drought. It also kickstarted a three-peat, preceding Finals wins over the Philadelphia 76ers in 2001 and New Jersey Nets in 2002.
“It’s everything and more. I mean, you have the Lakers colors falling from the ceiling, the fans going crazy, I got the hat on and everything covering my fro’, it feels great,” Bryant said after winning his first NBA championship.
“We worked so hard. It was a hard-fought game, but we finally got a championship, and it feels great. … There’s no feeling quite like it is there? Can’t wait to do it again.”
In Game 6 at Staples Center, Bryant recorded 26 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and two blocks in 44 minutes of action. The Hall of Famer also shot just 8-of-27 (29.6%) from the field and only 2-of-6 (33.3%) from deep.
Kobe Bryant Card Sold At Goldin Auctions
Per ESPN’s Dan Hajducky, the Game 6 ball was sold the same day a 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Emblems of Endorsements card of Bryant fetched $1.22 million, including buyer’s premium, at Goldin Auctions.
It’s reportedly the third-highest public sale for a solo Bryant card of all time.
According to Goldin Auctions, the card is autographed in blue ink, numbered 8/15, and graded near-mint 8 by Beckett Grading Services. It features two multicolored game-used patches cut from a then-No. 8 Bryant jersey.
The Bryant card was one of four cards to top $500,000 in the same Goldin auction.
Per Hajducky, the others include a 2005 Topps Finest SuperFractor die-cut Tom Brady card ($704,550), a 1997-98 Skybox Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red Michael Jordan ($651,334), and a 1998 Pokemon Japanese Promo Holo Illustrator Pikachu card ($610,000).
