Kobe Bryant ‘Number 24 Debut’ Los Angeles Lakers Game Worn & Signed Jersey | November 3, 2006 | Staples Center, Los Angeles

Property of an American Collector

This gold Los Angeles Lakers home jersey was worn by Kobe Bryant in the first game he played during the 2006–07 NBA season — the night he debuted his now-legendary No. 24. For his first decade in the league, Bryant had worn No. 8, a number tied to his rapid rise from Lower Merion High School phenom to three-time NBA champion alongside Shaquille O’Neal. In the summer of 2006, after a turbulent and transformative period in his personal and professional life, Bryant announced the to change to No. 24 — the number he had worn in high school — as a symbolic break from the past. In interviews, he explained that moving from No. 8 to 24 symbolized growth, reflecting the maturity, focus, and leadership he intended to bring into the next phase of his career. The change, announced in the offseason, sparked immediate and widespread discussion: columnists debated its meaning, sports talk radio dissected the symbolism, and fans began speculating on whether the “new Kobe” would signal a different style of play or a renewed championship push.

The debut of No. 24 came on November 3, 2006, in a third game of the season against the Supersonics. Staples Center was buzzing with anticipation, its lower bowl dotted with gold and purple No. 24 jerseys already in the hands of fans eager to mark the occasion. Bryant, still recovering from offseason knee surgery, played perhaps a bit choppy, pacing himself physically but asserting his presence as the clear leader of a young Lakers roster. Wearing this very jersey, he scored 23 points and guided the Lakers to a statement victory, signaling that his redefined era had begun. That season, Bryant would go on to average 31.6 points per game, capture his second consecutive scoring title, and deliver a series of virtuoso performances that included ten 50-point games — all while wearing No. 24 for the first time.

Bryant has boldly signed the reverse in black marker, adding the inscription “First 24,” an extraordinarily rare and direct acknowledgment of the momentous occasion. Light wear consistent with a single game’s use is visible, including faint fabric pulls and creasing from game action.

The cultural resonance of the number change was immediate and lasting. Fans saw No. 8 as the jersey of youthful explosiveness — the reverse dunks, the 81-point game, the three-peat years; No. 24 became the emblem of Bryant as a master craftsman, cerebral competitor, and relentless closer. Collectors and NBA historians now view the debut of No. 24 as a pivotal turning point, the launch of the second act that brought two more championships, back-to-back Finals MVP awards, and ultimately a league-wide legacy rivaled by few in basketball history.

This jersey is not merely a relic of a single night, but a symbolic artifact from a career that bridged eras and identities. Signed and inscribed to forever link it to the debut of No. 24, it stands as one of the most culturally and historically significant Kobe Bryant jerseys ever to surface — the tangible starting point of a chapter that would help define his legend.

The jersey is accompanied by a letter from MeiGray in regards to the photomatch.