First Look at Rare and Exclusive Premium Memorabilia Offered by Kobe Bryant and Upper Deck

CARLSBAD, Calif., Feb. 15 PRNewswire — With the rise of his recently unveiled Los Angeles Laker's No. 24 uniform to the very top of the NBA's jersey sales list (according to stats from the NBA Store), Kobe Bryant has signed a limited number of exclusive Upper Deck Authenticated (UDA) premium basketball products for sports collectors to purchase starting February 15th, 2007. These items will be exclusively offered at www.KB24.com (the official website of Kobe Bryant) to commemorate the launch of Kobe's "KB24.com Store", and will be offered at www.upperdeck.com.

Included in this very first offering of "24 Product" will be: an assortment of autographed "No. 24" UDA memorabilia Nike shoes, Spalding game balls, photos and a beautifully designed Jersey Archives box featuring a photo and autographed number 24 jersey. The extremely limited Kobe Bryant autographed items — upon which Kobe has inscribed his new motto: "Carpe Diem," which translates to "Seize the Day" — will become available on February 15th at 8:00am PST.

"This is the very first time signed "24" Kobe products will be available to my fans, I am really excited about that," said Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar guard. "This offering gives me the opportunity to continue sharing my love for the game of basketball."

Creating pieces reflecting his passion and love for the game, Bryant and UDA have released autographed items — all numbered and limited in quantity to 24 — that give collectors a chance to share in a piece of the player and the game. At the start of this NBA season, Bryant switched his jersey number from No. 8 to 24 — reflecting his total commitment to make the most of every moment of his life.

"These autographed Kobe Bryant items give collectors and fans a chance to own a piece of NBA history and Upper Deck Authenticated is proud to be part of it," commented Tim Muret, vice president of Upper Deck Authenticated. "We are launching these exclusive Kobe Bryant products on February 15th to celebrate Kobe's jersey being #1, and to add to the excitement centered around the NBA All Star Game taking place this weekend in Las Vegas ."

This is the second collaboration between UDA and Bryant. In November, UDA helped Bryant retire his famous number 8 with an online auction where a select offering of "No. 8" items were purchased, most of which were extremely limited to ensure long-term value and collectibility to collectors. Many items included a personal inscription with individual thoughts from the All-Star guard.

Autographed #24 Items Available: * Authentic NBA number 24 Lakers jerseys (White, Gold and Purple — each in their own limited Jersey Archives box with "Carpe Diem" inscription on the jersey and limited to 24), SRP $1099.99 * Kobe player-edition Nike Kobe Zoom 1 Hoops Shoes — each pair is autographed on the right shoe, SRP $1,499.99 * NBA Spalding Basketballs laser engraved with Kobe Bryant Logo Crest (from KB24.com) limited to 24 with "Carpe Diem" inscription, SRP $699.99 * Signed 16" x 20" photographs of Kobe flashing his finger roll from his first game wearing the number 24 jersey, SRP $599.99 or $699.99 — the signed version also includes the "Carpe Diem" inscription

Portions of the money collected from each sale will go to Kobe's foundation — the VIVO Foundation, a charitable initiative dedicated to enhancing the lives of young people and making dreams come true through educational and cultural enrichment opportunities and financial support.

About the Upper Deck Company

Founded in 1988, The Upper Deck Co. is a premier global sports and entertainment-publishing company that delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative and multi-dimensional product experiences to collectors, sports and entertainment enthusiasts. Visit www.upperdeck.com for more information on the company, its products or Kobe signed and unsigned products.

About the VIVO Foundation

Launched by Kobe and Vanessa Bryant last year, VIVO Foundation is a charitable initiative dedicated to enhancing the lives of young people and making dreams come true through educational and cultural enrichment opportunities and financial support. Projects include Vivo Del Mondo, an international travel experience that offers deserving students a unique and expanded context to explore their passions and think, question and formulate their own beliefs about the world.

SOURCE Upper Deck Company