An iconic moment in Los Angeles Lakers history was Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal joining forces. Bryant, who was drafted out of high school in 1996, would grow into a dynamic pairing next to the most dominant center ever.
Despite differences off the court, they made it work for as long as they could to win championships. Notably, they achieved a 3-peat in the early 2000s, and Bryant averaged 28.5 points, 25.2 points, and 30 points through those title years.
Meanwhile, O’Neal averaged a 27-point double-double and opposing teams could not stop this tandem. With 3-peats becoming a rarity nowadays, the Lakers etched themselves in history and the star-studded duo signed basketballs following their 2000 and 2001 Finals wins, which eventually went on sale.
Each ball received a solid markup as they sold for $508,000 and $317,500, respectively in an auction by Sotheby’s, via Dan Hajducky of ESPN:
Championship-clinching basketballs from the 2000 NBA Finals — which marked Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal’s first title together and the Los Angeles Lakers’ first title since 1988 — and the 2001 NBA Finals, the second in the Lakers’ three-peat, sold for $508,000 and $317,500, respectively, at Sotheby’s.
The balls are both signed by at least a dozen Lakers; the 2000 ball is signed by both Bryant and O’Neal, and the 2001 ball is signed by Bryant. Both balls include photo-matching letters from companies MeiGray and Sports Investors Authentication as well as letters from Professional Sports Authenticator verifying authenticity of the signatures.
The $508,000 for the 2000 Finals ball is the most ever paid for a championship-clinching ball, according to Sotheby’s. The previous record belonged to the ball from the 2025 NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first post-relocation title, which sold for $107,950 at Sotheby’s in July.
Memorabilia is endless when it comes to the Lakers, as they encountered numerous eras of winning basketball. Only trailing their rival Boston Celtics in titles, the purple and gold are trying to catch up.
Many have argued that the Bryant and O’Neal pairing was cut too short, which may have cost them more championships. As a hypothetical, it is certainly plausible they could have tacked on another ring or two.
However, the Black Mamba made up for it by winning two more titles when Pau Gasol came into town.
Klay Thompson compares Cooper Flagg to Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is a one-of-one talent and his impact on the game of basketball will be felt forever. He carved out his own lane and solidified himself as one of the most dynamic scorers.
Klay Thompson, who competed against Bryant, went so far as to compare rookie Cooper Flagg to the Mamba. He acknowledges that no one is like the five-time champion, but he sees flashes.
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