The combination of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant should spark excitement for basketball collectors, yet, the recent auction of a one-of-a-kind trading card featuring both legends has generated controversy rather than celebration.
The 2007-08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographed card, showcasing Jordan and Bryant‘s signatures alongside game-worn patches, officially became the most expensive basketball card ever sold at public auction to the tune of $5.917 million.
The sale eclipsed previous records, surpassing Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry‘s top auction result but despite the historic number, the auction ignited frustration among fans, who argued that the price reflects auction mechanics more than the card’s inherent worth.
Jordan memorabilia has struggled to meet lofty expectations lately. For example, his 1986 rookie jacket, valued at $10 million, sold for $4.2 million earlier in 2025 and many trading cards from the so-called junk wax era flood the market, diluting competition.
Fans also criticized the grading of the card, a PSA 6, questioning why it wasn’t a gem mint 10 as the core grievance lies in the buyer’s premium-a fee added to the winning bid.
In this instance, a $4.85 million bid included an additional $1.067 million premium, a structure many argue inflates the final sale and complicates the perceived value.
One fan commented via X.com, formerly Twitter, “Lol $1M in buyers premium. That’s an absolute joke.”
Whilst a second added, “As a PSA 6?!!”
And a third wrote, “It’s not even gem mint 10. There has to be a better card out there.”
Critics claim the hefty fee makes the milestone appear more like a marketing triumph than a reflection of rarity or quality.
Scottie Pippen claims Kobe Bryant admired him
Scottie Pippen has long been regarded as one of the NBA’s most versatile and intelligent players, and his perspective on Kobe Bryant highlights the respect younger stars held for the legendary Chicago Bulls player.
Pippen revealed that after his 2007 stint with the Houston Rockets, he considered joining the Los Angeles Lakers, who were under the leadership of Phil Jackson and featured Kobe Bryant alongside Shaquille O’Neal.
Pippen saw the potential for a championship-caliber partnership, but ultimately was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, missing the chance to team up with Bryant.
“The best teammate I ever played with is Michael Jordan,” Pippen said. “There is no doubt about it, and I am going to say that all day, every day.
“The one teammate I wish I could have played with and I didn’t play with was Kobe Bryant. Kobe really idolized the way I played the game, the way I defended. He started to call me after I retired and to ask questions and about different situations.
“‘How would you guard certain people, what kind of footwork, what do you do in this situation?’
“Just picking your brain to enhance his ability out on the basketball court. He was a great student of the game, and he would ask me questions about how I would guard Michael in these situations, this and that.
“He was just trying to improve his craft.”
Read the full article here
