Kobe Bryant's Air Jordans from iconic scoring run fetch $500K

A player-exclusive pair of Air Jordan IIIs that were made for, signed and worn by Kobe Bryant in the 2002-03 NBA season have sold for $500,000 via Pharrell Williams' auction house Joopiter.

Bryant's early NBA years were synonymous with Adidas. But in 2002, Bryant paid Adidas $8 million to end the deal early and, despite Reebok reportedly offering Bryant $15 million per season, demurred and spent the upcoming season wearing multiple brands.

Kobe's now-$500K pair of size 14 Jordans, made in the Los Angeles Lakers' white, purple and goldcolorway, were photo-matched by MeiGray to a game on Feb. 14, 2003, against the San Antonio Spurs and another game four days later against theHouston Rockets. The shoes were worn during Bryant's nine-game streak of scoring at least 40 points in games from Feb. 6 through Feb. 23. Only Bryant, Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain (three separate times) have nine-game 40-plus-point streaks.

Bryant scored 44 points and added six rebounds, four assists, four steals and two blocks against the Spurs on Feb. 14. On Feb. 18, in a double-overtime win against the Rockets, Bryant scored 52 points alongside eight rebounds, seven assists and three blocks, dunking over then-rookie sensation Yao Ming in the process.

A month after the Lakers fell to the eventual champion Spurs in the Western Conference finals, Bryant signed a five-year deal with Nike worth $40 million.