The first bid for Kobe Bryant’s debut LA Lakers shirt is $5.7 million.
And yesterday, several jerseys realised comfortably over $30,000 in a sale of current NBA memorabilia.
LeBron James was the star of the show as the NBA Auctions: City and Icon sale closed at Sotheby’s, New York last night.
A 2024 – 25 season game-worn jersey went past its low estimate of $30,000 to realise $38,000.
A basket rim used for the first half of the game in which LeBron broke the all-time NBA scoring record shot past its top predicted price to come in at $30,480.
LeBron’s record-breaking hoop made $30,000 plus. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.
As that sale closed, the single-item auction of Kobe Bryant’s rookie jersey opened with a bang and a $5.7 million bid.
The shirt being sold is from the Los Angeles Lakers 1996-1997 season, in which Bryant made his regular season debut.
It has been photomatched to a number of pre-season and regular season games, and is known to have been worn on court by Bryant at least seven times.
With no estimate published, all bets were off on its value.
And someone is obviously very keen to get their hands on it, slapping down a $5.7 million bid on the first day of selling.
Michael Jordan’s rookie jersey just made over $4 million. The NBA is a league of big men with big names which sell for big money. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Sotheby’s describe the jersey as: “a rare and extraordinary artifact from the genesis of an icon, Kobe Bryant’s jersey from his 1996-97 rookie debut season represents a tangible piece of basketball history. Worn during his first game (both in the regular season, and preseason) with the Los Angeles Lakers, this jersey encapsulates the very beginning of a career that would transcend the sport. Sotheby’s is privileged to present this significant piece, a testament to Bryant’s emergence as a global phenomenon.”
Currently, the most valuable basketball jersey is Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA finals Chicago Bulls top. It made $10.1 million in September 2022.
Last month, Sotheby’s sold Michael Jordan’s “debut” shirt for $4.2 million.
There is a lot of money in basketball, and the game produces big stars who collectors love to honour.
And the sports memorabilia market has been booming across the board in recent years.
Last year, a Babe Ruth shirt linked to the most famous moment in his career, the Called Shot, set a $24 million high for any sports piece.
Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020. His most valuable shirt thus far was the 2007 – 2008-season jersey that made $5.8 million in 2023.
With a single bid already valuing this shirt at around that mark it seems likely the player’s record will be broken before this sale closes on April 24.
