2000-01 Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Game Jersey Patches Autograph #KB-A Kobe Bryant Signed Game-Used Patch Card (#05/08) - PSA Authentic

Encapsulated and assessed "Authentic" by PSA (101647638). Hall of Famer. Only one higher-graded example of this piece has been confirmed in PSA's census reporting. Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant has placed his signature on the obverse of this ultra-scarce Upper Deck Ultimate Collection Game Jersey Patches Autograph collectible. The cardfront presentation is highlighted by a three-color, game-used jersey patch. Upper Deck's Game Jersey line—first introduced in the 1996 Upper Deck Football issue before receiving its NBA debut in the 1997-98 Upper Deck hardwood production—helped to drive interest in the nascent practice of inserting game jersey pieces into a trading card's design. Over the years, the line continued to develop, eventually incorporating multicolored, multi-layer patch components (as opposed to the monochrome, single-layer relic swatches from the debut issue) and hard-signed autographs into the presentation. This sensational  Game Jersey Patches Autograph showpiece displays the line at the peak of its scarcity and visual appeal. Bestowed with an on-card autograph and a gorgeous purple, gold, and white game-used jersey patch, this represents the Game Jersey series at the zenith of its power. Within the 2000-01 Ultimate Collection basketball production, only three subjects (Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Kevin Garnett) received Game Jersey Patches Autographs entries. Each were serial-numbered out of the player's jersey number and, by virtue of having the lowest jersey number of the trio (Bryant wore the number 8 jersey from his NBA debut until 2006), Bryant's card is the scarcest of the three. Bryant is undeniably one of the brightest talents and toughest competitors to ever walk onto a basketball court. His peerless skill, tenacious determination, and sincere love and admiration for the game of basketball made him one of the most popular athletes in the world. A career 25 points-per-game scorer, Bryant is a five-time NBA Finals champion and an 18-time All-Star. Tragically, Bryant passed away in 2020, leaving behind a legacy as one of the NBA's most revered figures and a true student of the game. The card displays a highly satisfying overall appearance, with lightly touched corners, a flowing signature, and an eye-catching patch component. A statement on the card affirms the manufacturer's guarantee of authenticity for the piece's content and serves as the item's COA. The limited-edition piece is serial-numbered "05/08."

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