Famed art company Sotheby’s just made a historic sale. Yesterday (Feb. 9), they announced that a signed Kobe Bryant jersey that the late legend once wore sold for nearly $6 million.
“Another record smashed at #SothebysNewYork! Kobe Bryant’s game-worn Los Angeles Lakers Jersey from his only MVP season scored $5.8 million today, becoming the most valuable Bryant item ever sold at auction and second most valuable basketball jersey ever sold,” a tweet from the brand read. In an article published today (Feb. 10), ESPN noted that the actual selling price was listed as $5,849,700 and the Black Mamba wore the purple and yellow “24” from 2007 to 2008. As previously reported by REVOLT, the famed athlete died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California along with his daughter, Gianna Bryant, and several passengers on Jan. 26, 2020.
Another record smashed at #SothebysNewYork!
Kobe Bryant's game-worn Los Angeles Lakers Jersey from his only MVP season scored $5.8 million today, becoming the most valuable Bryant item ever sold at auction and second most valuable basketball jersey ever sold. pic.twitter.com/HTbiwL0q3F
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) February 9, 2023
Following the record-breaking transaction, Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, shared a statement. “This jersey is iconic in a way we seldom see in sports artifacts,” he said. “The image of Kobe wearing this particular jersey during the NBA Playoffs has permeated in popular culture, reprinted on murals, books, newspapers [and] has become a symbol of his fierce determination and passion that has resonated with audiences across the world.”
In May 2021, a signed jersey that Kobe wore during his rookie season with the Lakers sold for $3.69 million. Although two of the Philadelphia native’s uniforms sold for hefty amounts, those totals combined are still less than the record-holder. In September 2022, Sotheby’s sold the jersey Michael Jordan wore in Game 1 of the 1998 “Last Dance” NBA Finals for a whopping $10.091 million. It remains the highest-selling basketball jersey of all time. Kobe is an 18-time All-Star, who has won five championships, four NBA All-Star Game MVP awards, two NBA Finals MVPs and two Olympic gold medals.