1997 Metal Universe Platinum Portraits Kobe Bryant #3 BGS 9.5 GEM MINT

When Denver Nugget Carmelo Anthony played Kobe for the first time, he did not know what to expect. Kobe told him he would let him go off until the fourth quarter. And when the fourth quarter rolled around, they went at it—blocking shots and fouling hard. And then Kobe did something Melo never forgot: He flipped his braids. Anyone with or without braids knows you do not touch a man’s braids. But he knew Kobe had a fire in him, but also a hilarious sense of humor. Melo played through it and stood his ground. After the game, Melo said Kobe went full Godfather on him and gave him his blessing. Melo said he felt like he had finally arrived. That was the effect Kobe had on other players. If you were good with Kobe, you were good enough. All we have now are these memories and, of course, his cards. Metal Universe has a following in this industry—and it is big. The recognizable Platinum Portraits cards continue to gain in popularity for their unique design, low pop counts, and player selection from the 90s. This Kobe is no exception. The simplicity of this card allows the artwork to speak for itself. No doubt plenty of bidders will be speaking for it in this month’s Premier Auction.