The first No. 24 jersey worn by Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers sold for $889,000 at a recent Sotheby’s auction. Bryant wore the jersey on November 3, 2006, scoring 23 points in a 118-112 victory against the Seattle Supersonics. That season, he would score 50 or more points ten times en route to his second and final league scoring title.
The jersey is signed by Bryant, with the inscriptions “FIRST 24” and “1/1” on the numbers, and features an Upper Deck authentication hologram. It was also photo-matched by MeiGray Authenticated to the Lakers’ 2006 media day. While a significant sale, it falls short of the record $7 million paid for Bryant’s 1996-97 rookie season jersey in April.
On the same night, a jersey worn by fellow Lakers legend Jerry West between 1964 and 1967 sold for $533,400. According to Sports Investors Authentication, the jersey was photo-matched to several key postseason games, including Game 6 of the 1965 and 1966 Western Division finals and Game 2 of the 1966 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
The lot also included a warm-up jacket, shorts, and socks, which the auction house believes were also game-worn. The items came from a private collection, having been originally gifted by former Lakers trainer Frank O’Neill in 1967. The all-time record for a West item remains $868,000, set in May for a jersey from the 1969-70 season.
In a notable contrast, the jersey Wayne Gretzky wore in his final NHL game for the New York Rangers on April 18, 1999, went unsold. Despite predictions it could fetch over $1 million, bidding did not meet the set reserve price.
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