The primary No. 24 jersey worn by Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers not too long ago bought for $889,000, together with purchaser’s premium, at Sotheby’s.
A jersey utilized by Jerry West from 1964 to 1967 additionally bought for $533,400 on the identical evening.
Bryant wore the jersey whereas posting 23 factors in a 118-112 victory towards the Seattle Supersonics on Nov. 3, 2006. He would rating 50 factors or extra in a recreation on 10 events in that 2006-07 season en path to his second straight — and last — league scoring title.
The jersey is signed by him with the inscriptions “FIRST 24” and “1/1” on the jersey’s numbers, together with an Higher Deck hologram, as the corporate had an autograph and memorabilia cope with Bryant till 2009.
MeiGray Authenticated additionally photo-matched the jersey to the Lakers’ 2006 media day in October.
Probably the most ever paid for any Bryant jersey is $7 million — for a jersey that was photo-matched to seven video games from his 1996-97 rookie season. That jersey was bought by Sotheby’s in April.
West’s jersey was definitively worn throughout Sport 6 of the 1965 and 1966 Western Division finals and Sport 2 of the 1966 NBA Finals, in response to photo-matching by Sports activities Traders Authentication.
SIA’s letter of authenticity states the jersey was “possible” worn throughout each the 1965 and 1966 NBA Finals. The Lakers misplaced to the Boston Celtics in each these sequence, with West averaging 33.8 and 33.9 factors per recreation, respectively.
The West jersey lot additionally included a warm-up jacket, shorts and socks, which the public sale home “additionally believes to be game-worn.” In 1967, Frank O’Neill, a former Lakers coach, obtained the gadgets when the workforce moved to The Discussion board they usually’ve remained in a personal assortment till now.
A collector bought a jersey photo-matched to 4 video games from the 1969-70 Lakers season for $868,000 in Might, an all-time document for a West merchandise.
The jersey that Wayne Gretzky wore in his last NHL recreation for the New York Rangers on April 18, 1999, was predicted to promote for greater than $1 million, however Sotheby’s confirmed that bidding did not meet a set reserve worth and the jersey went unsold.
