A jersey of basketball legend Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in 2020, will go under the hammer in early February – and could achieve a maximum value.
The jersey of the former NBA star player of the Los Angeles Lakers should cost up to seven million dollars, the New York auction house Sotheby’s announced on Thursday. That could almost double the previous record price of $3.7 million for a Bryant jersey. (DATA: NBA schedule and results)
However, the auction did not break the world record for a “matchworn” jersey, i.e. a jersey worn at a game. This is the $10.1 million bid for a Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls jersey last September. Jordan, considered the greatest basketball player in history, wore this during the ‘Last Dance’, his last title race with the Bulls in 1998.
Bryant’s iconic number 24 shirt, which an anonymous owner is putting up for sale, is part of an online auction from February 2-9.
According to Sotheby’s, the Lakers icon is said to have worn it in 25 games in the 2007/08 season. By the end of the season, Bryant had been named NBA Most Valuable Player for the only time in his career.
Bryant died in the helicopter crash three years ago at the age of 41, his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven other people died in the tragic accident. Posthumously inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame, Bryant led the Lakers to five championship titles and won two Olympic gold medals with the US team.
