Topps Finest was the premier high-end product of the late 1990s, and its Refractor parallels remain some of the most sought-after inserts of the era. This 1997-98 Finest #323 Kobe Bryant comes from the scarce Gold tier "Creators" subset and is the Refractor version, serial numbered 152 of just 289 on the reverse. Even more appealing, this example retains its original protective coating.

Finest cards were issued with a peel-away film bearing the words "Topps Finest Protector, Peel and Remove Coating," and most collectors removed it upon opening the pack. Cards that still carry the coating are a delight for purists, as they offer a time capsule view of the card exactly as it emerged from the wrapper.

Issued during his second NBA season, the front shows the young Bryant driving baseline past a Portland defender, set against a shimmering gold and bronze refractive background with the "Creators" theme lettering across the top. The reverse features a smiling portrait of Kobe in his purple Lakers jersey, along with his rookie statistics and a scouting note describing him as "an explosive swingman" who "finishes with highlight-film jams." The "Rare Refractor" designation and theme code CR18 appear at lower right.

Bryant went on to win five NBA championships, two Finals MVPs and the 2008 league MVP award while scoring 33,643 points over a 20-year career spent entirely with the Lakers. He was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2020. A low-numbered, coated Kobe Refractor from his earliest seasons. Graded NM 7 by PSA.