Living in the social media age, we often see streamers and influencers collaborating with public figures, be it from the worlds of entertainment, sports or politics. A recent example was online streamer and rapper Maxwell Elliot Dent, popularly known as PlaqueBoyMax, giving us a sneak peek into four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson’s $10 million house.
The online streamer had a camera follow him the entire time, with Thompson giving him an entire tour of his luxurious home. One such moment involved the former Golden State Warriors star revealing his most prized possession, a signed No. 24 jersey of the late Kobe Bryant, which he had framed and kept. What made it even more special was that it was a rare, old-school edition of the yellow-and-white Los Angeles Lakers uniform.
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“This is my most prized memorabilia possession right here. Shout out to the GOAT, the Mamba. The last game we played him in 2016, was lucky enough to snag his game-worn jersey, and he inscribed,” Thompson told PlaqueBoyMax, who was visibly surprised by the size of the jersey.
“He was a big guy, 6’6″, 220 lbs, more muscle,” laughed Klay.
Kobe had a special message for him
One of the greatest to have ever picked up the basketball, Bryant has inspired several generations, whether through his skill set and mastery of the game or the legendary Mamba Mentality. It was no different for Thompson, who also grew up idolizing the Lakers legend, something he’s mentioned time and again.
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The son of former Purple & Gold center and radio commentator Mychal Thompson was fortunate to visit the Staples Center, now Crypto.com Arena, regularly, which allowed him to see KB play up close. When Klay made his NBA debut in 2011, Kobe was moving towards the twilight of his career.
Nonetheless, the current Dallas Mavericks guard was one of the rare exceptions who impressed the Black Mamba, especially with his two-way play, as evidenced by the message Kobe included when he gifted his game-worn jersey to Klay in 2016.
“It’s been a pleasure watching you grow into the player you are. Keep going! Keep going!” Bryant inscribed.
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Hearing the story behind the memorabilia, PlaqueBoyMax could not help but ask Klay to share his Kobe story, with the 36-year-old revisiting an interesting encounter with the five-time Lakers champion during the 2013 Global Games in China.
“We were playing in Shanghai, and it was like 11:30 at night. I had crazy jet lag. So, I went up to the weight room. I was getting my workout in. I was doing dumbbell bench, and I just feel someone come over and tap my shoulder, and it was Kobe, Nike tech on, hoodie on, and he just dabbed me up, said, ‘What’s up?’ I was like, ‘What up, Kobe? I can’t believe you’re here. This is crazy; I get to share this space with you,'” shared Thompson, who also happened to earn Bryant’s respect that day.
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Getting his flowers from No. 24
Three years after their conversation at the weight room in Shanghai, an emotional Thompson narrated what Bryant told him in their last matchup before the Lakers veteran retired.
“He’s like, I knew Klay was going to be a good player when I saw him in Shanghai in the weight room taking the game super serious. I thought I was by myself working out, but he was in there, and I knew he had a bright future,” recalled Thompson, adding that Bryant’s words meant the world to him.
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One can surely imagine it was a special moment for Klay, given that Kobe wasn’t someone who was easily impressed, especially when it came to work ethic and discipline. Though not with us today, Bryant would have certainly been proud of Thompson, especially considering the perseverance he displayed battling back-to-back catastrophic injuries like his ACL tear and Achilles rupture, apart from all the championships and 3-point accolades.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Aug 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Klay Thompson, Kobe Bryant, Mychal Thompson, Golden State Warriors, Maxwell Elliot Dent
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