1996 Bowman's Best Kobe Bryant #R23

The teenager from Lower Merion, before the world knew the name

The 1996 Bowman's Best Refractor-era set captured Kobe Bryant in his rookie season, when he entered the NBA straight from high school as a Charlotte Hornets draft pick traded to the Lakers. Bowman's Best was Topps' premium chromium product of the period, and rookie cards from this set remain among the most sought from Bryant's first year on cardboard. This copy carries a PSA 8 grade, certification 55691100, presenting as a clean near-mint to mint example.