Kobe Bryant Game-Worn Jersey to Be Auctioned Off, Could Fetch Up to $7M
Written by SOURCE on January 12, 2023
A jersey worn by Kobe Bryant during the 2007-08 season, the year he won the NBA’s MVP award, is set to be auctioned off by Sotheby’s. According to early estimates, it could fetch as much as $7 million.
According to the listing, the golden Lakers jersey was worn in a total of 25 games, including the evening of the presentation of his sole MVP trophy. It has been estimated to have a value of anywhere between $5 million to $7 million, and will be on auction from Feb. 2 to Feb. 9.
“The jersey is tied to perhaps the most iconic imagery of Kobe,” Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles Brahm Wachter told Women’s Wear Daily. “In game two of the Western Conference first round, Kobe sent a three pointer and sort of did this celebration and all of these images were taken. The imagery associated with that moment has taken on a life of its own. Notably, the most visited and most famous Kobe mural in Los Angeles painted by Jonas Never features this jersey. As we began a search around the world, we were seeing this jersey in China and Australia. There are murals all over the world that feature this imagery.”
Per the listing, the jersey shows extensive signs of wear and tear, which Watcher has argued adds to its value. “So many jerseys are worn for a game or a half,” added Watcher.
The jersey’s sale is part of Sotheby’s Zenith Part I online auction, which will also celebrate other notable athletes such as Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. The auction house previously set a record for the sale of a Michael Jordan game-worn jersey, which he wore during the 1998 NBA Final, at $10.1 million last year.
