It’s been five years since a helicopter crash in Calabasas stole Kobe Bryant from the world far too soon . Yet, somehow, his story continues to grow, stitched deeper into the fabric of Los Angeles, where the sun still sets purple and gold.

This week, a pair of Adidas EQT Top Ten 2000 sneakers — worn by Bryant during his first ever NBA start — sold for a jaw-dropping $240,000 through SCP Auctions.

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Both shoes were autographed and photo-matched to that exact night: Jan. 28, 1997, on the road against the Dallas Mavericks . The price tag makes them the second-most expensive pair of Kobe shoes ever sold.

He was just 18 years old when he started that game.

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