Rare Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant jerseys set to command $20m at auction

The first match-worn jerseys of the two NBA greats are on display at Sotheby’s in New York

Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls 1984-1985 game-worn and signed 'Preseason Debut' rookie jersey is on display during a public exhibition at Sotheby's New York (AFP via Getty Images)

Jerseys worn by NBA icons Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are expected to fetch a combined figure of around $20m as the two shirts go up for auction.

A game-worn garment from each of the pair’s rookie seasons are currently on display at Sotheby’s in New York before being offered at auction in two standalone single-lot sales.

Six-time NBA champion and five-time MVP Jordan’s jersey comes from his preseason debut with the Chicago Bulls in October 1984.

The late Bryant, who passed away after a helicopter crash in January 2020, meanwhile wore his Los Angeles Lakers jersey at the start of his debut season in 1996. He went on to win four NBA titles and the 2008 NBA MVP award, finishing his career in 2016 as the league’s fourth leading all-time scorer, just ahead of Jordan.

Both items are expected to command a winning bid of about $10m at auction.

“The historical weight of these two jerseys is difficult to overstate,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles, said. “They are as rare as they come. Early rookie jerseys represent the genesis of an athlete's career.

Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers jersey from 1996 is up for auction (AFP via Getty Images)

“For collectors in search of true one-of-one treasures, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own iconic pieces of basketball history. Debut games are something every athlete experiences just once in their career journey, and is a moment where the hype of their pre-professional career finally comes to bear in the big leagues.”

Rookie memorabilia has become a lucrative market for collectors and sports fans in recent years. A 1952 Topps rookie card for Major League Baseball (MLB) star Mickey Mantle sold for $12.6m in August 2022, while a similar Babe Ruth card from 1914 went for $7.2m.