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Kobe Bryant‘s list of accolades are longer than the sleeve on the KD 8 Elite, but it all had to start somewhere, right? A lifelong Laker, the Black Mamba has made many a memory and had firsts for forever in the purple and gold. Looking towards the latter but looking back more so, we recount Kobe’s famous firsts and the kicks he wore while putting down the footprints of his Hall of Fame career.
First Game
![photo by Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-first-game.jpg)
When: November 3, 1996
Kicks: adidas EQT Top Ten 2010
First Game Against Jordan
![photo by Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-michael-jordan-first-game.jpg)
When: December 17, 1996
Kicks: adidas EQT Top Ten 2010
First Start
![photo by Garrett Ellwood via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-first-start.jpg)
When: January 28, 1997
Kicks: adidas EQT Top Ten 2010
First Playoff Series
![photo by Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-playoffs-adidas-eqt-elevation.jpg)
When: April/May 1997
Kicks: adidas EQT Elevation
First All-Star Game
![photo by Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images via NBA Tumblr](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-adidas-kb8-all-star.jpg)
When: February 8, 1998
Kicks: adidas KB8 PE
First Double-Dobule
![photo by John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-double-double.jpg)
When: February 5, 1999
Kicks: adidas KB8 II
First Finals
![photo by The Sporting News via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-2000-nba-finals.jpg)
When: June 2000
Kicks: adidas The Kobe
First 50 Point Game
![photo by Tom Hauck via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-first-50-point-game.jpg)
When: December 6, 2000
Kicks: adidas The Kobe
First Game Against LeBron
![photo by Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/2004-Bron-Kobe-1st-Game-7501.jpg)
When: January 12, 2004
Kicks: Nike Zoom Flight 2k3 PE
First Game Against Shaq
![photo by Noah Graham via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-vs-shaq-2005.jpg)
When: December 25, 2004
Kicks: Nike Air Zoom Flight Huarache 2k5 PE
First 60 Point Game
![photo by Noah Graham via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-62-points.jpg)
When: December 20, 2005
Kicks: Nike Air Zoom Flight Huarache 2k5 PE
First Scoring Title
![photo by Andrew D. Bernstein via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-scoring-title-2006.jpg)
When: April 19, 2006
Kicks: Nike Zoom Kobe 1 PE
First MVP
![photos by Stephen Dunn via Getty Images](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-mvp.jpg)
When: May 7, 2008
Kicks: Nike Zoom Kobe III
First Gold Medal
![Nick Laham/Getty Images via Zimbio](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-gold-medal.jpg)
When: August 24, 2008
Kicks: Nike Hyperdunk
First Finals MVP
![photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images via Zimbio](https://www.nicekicks.com/files/2016/04/kobe-bryant-nike-zoom-kobe-iv.jpg)
When: June 14, 2009
Kicks: Nike Zoom Kobe IV
Lead image via NBA YouTube