Kobe Bryant is a market mover; it doesn't matter if he is featured on the card or, as it turns out, is just spotted in the background of a card.

It isn't the first time people have made the Kobe Bryant connection to Yasiel Puig's 2018 Topps Now card, but it is the first time we've really seen the market react to it. As far back as 2022, people had been listing Kobe Bryant in titles on eBay to boost their sales.

eBay Data from Kobe/Puig Card | Card Ladder

The Market Reacts to Social Media Buzz

Card Ladder Kobe Bryant Sale | Card Ladder

There was some buzz in the fall, but nothing quite like what we are seeing now. The previous record sale was a PSA 9 for $1,900 in October of 2025.…