Matt Varga Players’ rookie years remain one of the most dominant accelerants in sports memorabilia, something we saw in 2021 with the sale of rookie year Air Ships for a cool $1.2 million. Though that eye-popping total is already stratospheric, Sotheby’s latest auctions make it seem like pocket change by comparison. Game-worn jerseys from Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan are set to hit the auction block, sported during either mythical SG’s rookie debuts.
Beginning with Bryant, his jersey is photo-matched to his 1st NBA Media Day, preseason, and regular season debut. Though Bryant didn’t light the stat sheet on fire during his first season of pro action, he did showcase boundless potential during the Dunk Contest that season. From there, the rest is history –the item’s importance as the initial step in one of the sport’s most legendary careers doesn’t need to be spelled out.
There are perhaps more unique identifiers for MJ’s edition. The Bulls’ more shoestring budget during the 80s plays out with this jersey, clearly repurposed for the UNC product after use by previous players. Dark spots under Jordan’s name and number plates suggest Mitchell Wiggins or Larry Spriggs, the latter implied by the residue of a #35 stamp. Our readers will note the signature on the front: MJ’s “My Very Best” autograph a la the recent Air Jordan 1.
Photo matching confirms His Airness sported this piece for his 2nd and 3rd games (the first time a confirmed Jordan rookie jersey has hit the market), but that same process doesn’t hold for his initial debut. Instead, authentication firm MeiGrey utilized archive video footage to reach their conclusion: “MeiGray believes that this is the first jersey Michael Jordan ever wore while playing in the NBA.” In contrast to Bryant, Jordan’s potential was immediately apparent — he added an All-Star selection and All-NBA nod to his list of accolades immediately after being drafted.
In their press release, Sotheby’s projects that these two jerseys to sell in the neighborhood of $20 million combined. Both will be on offer as individual lots and available for public viewing beginning on March 21st. Get full details on the Kobe and Jordan jerseys with the links attached.
