Sotheby’s has announced that it will put an iconic jersey of late basketball legend Kobe Bryant on the market early next month. The renowned auction house is hoping for $5.0 to $7.0 million (€4.6 to € 6.5 million).
Bryant wore the Los Angeles Lakers’ No. 24 yellow-and-purple shirt for 25 games in the 2007-2008 NBA season, when he was named Most Valuable Player.
In one of those matches, on 23 April 2008, Bryant made a three-pointer against the Denver Nuggets, then shouted out his joy while pulling on the jersey with both hands. That image was eagerly captured by photographers, then immortalised by street artists worldwide, including in Los Angeles.
Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter accident on 26 January 2020, at the age of 41. A year after his tragic death, one of his jerseys went under the hammer for $3.7 million. It is not known who offered it for sale. However, at a previous auction, in 2013, it went for barely $18,678.
Starting on 1 February, the jersey will be on display in New York. It is part of a larger collection of sporting goods that will be offered online from 2 to 9 February.
By comparison, last September a Chicago Bulls’ No. 23 jersey that Michael Jordan wore during his final title season in 1998 was auctioned for $10.1 million.
