Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls (L) was guarded by Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers at the basket.
Vince Bucci | AFP | Getty Images
Rare souvenirs from the National Basketball Association’s two largest icons are hitting the auction area and are expected to be sold for $20 million in sales.
Sotheby announced on Thursday that it will be auctioning off the auction of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s rookie jerseys, which are worn in every NBA game. Auctions have surged with the recent popularity and pricing of rookie souvenirs.
“The historical weight of these two jerseys is hard to overstate,” said Brahm Wachter, head of Sotheby’s Modern Collections, in a statement.
The jerseys will be available in separate lots starting March 21.
Sotheby’s is auctioning off rare jerseys for rookie seasons for Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.
The Jordan jersey was first worn on October 5, 1984 in Peoria, Illinois, where he played his first game for the Chicago Bulls with just 2,000 people.
Sotheby’s said Jordan’s rookie jerseys were “unicorns” and rarely seen in the market.
Jordan ended up scoring 28.2 points per game and won Rookie of the Year honors in the rookie season. He went on to win six NBA titles and cemented his name as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Sotheby’s expects the iconic jersey to receive about $10 million.
The second batch was from 1996-97 rookie reasons with the Los Angeles Lakers to offer Kobe’s first jersey. Sotheby’s said the rare jersey was worn during Kobe’s first preseason and regular season.
Bryant entered the NBA at the age of 18 and won five NBA titles and two finals MVP awards. He died in a tragic helicopter crash in 2020.
Bryant’s jersey is also expected to be sold in the $10 million range.
Sotheby’s said Rookie Souvenirs has seen growth in demand for its customers recently. In October 2023, Victor Wembanyama’s worn San Antonio Spurs jersey sold for $762,000, and in August 2022, the 1952 Topps Mickey Mickey Mantle rookie card sold for $12.6 million.
“Early rookie jerseys represent the origins of the athlete’s career. For collectors, seeking a truly unique treasure is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have an iconic basketball history,” Wachter said.
