Kobe Bryant’s debut jersey with the Lakers sells for $7 million at auction

In 1996, Kobe Bryant made his Lakers debut wearing a jersey that sold for $7 million at auction.

At an astounding $7 million (£5.26 million), a jersey that Kobe Bryant wore during his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers has gone up for auction, making it the fourth most expensive game-worn sports jersey ever sold.

The jersey, which Bryant wore during his first season in 1996–97, is a landmark in the NBA legend’s remarkable career, which included winning five NBA Championships, spending 20 years with the Lakers, and winning the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in 2008.

The head of modern collectibles at Sotheby’s, the auction firm that handled the transaction, Brahm Wachter, stated that debut games are genuinely unique events in an athlete’s career.

When Bryant died in a helicopter crash in 2020, along with his daughter Gianna, the jersey’s worth skyrocketed. It was first sold in 2013 for little over $115,000.

According to the sale, the jersey’s worth is only surpassed by a select few legendary items from sports history. Babe Ruth’s renowned “called shot” jersey sets the record for the most expensive match-worn sports item ever auctioned, selling for $24 million in August. Next in line are the $10.1 million Michael Jordan “Last Dance” Chicago Bulls jersey from his final season and the $8.8 million Diego Maradona “Hand of God” shirt from the 1986 World Cup quarterfinal matchup with England.

Against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 3, 1996, Bryant made his NBA debut and immediately became a rising sensation. At the end of his rookie season, he was selected as the youngest NBA All-Star in the league’s history. Over the course of his career, he was selected 18 times. His 33,643 points still place him fourth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

The most recent sale confirms Bryant’s continued influence and the enduring value of sports memorabilia.