The sale took place at Sotheby’s, where LeBron’s jersey set a new record for the highest price for any game-worn jersey on the open market. Boardroom has the details.
LeBron James is a couple of games away from breaking a 34-year record held by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most career points scored in NBA history. On Friday, he set a different type of record — off the court.
James’ jersey from his NBA Finals Game 7 victory with the Miami Heat in 2013 was sold for $3.7 million at Sotheby’s, setting a new record for a game-worn LeBron James jersey at auction. The final price marked the highest price achieved for any game-worn jersey on the open market — and the third most valuable game-worn jersey ever sold at Sotheby’s after Michael Jordan’s game-worn 1998 NBA Finals jersey ($10.1 million) and Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” jersey, which sold for $9.3 million.
“[Friday’s] tremendous result comes at a pivotal time in LeBron James’ career, where he is in arm’s reach of clenching the all-time points record – one of the NBA’s most revered accolades,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s Head of Streetwear and Modern Collectables.
“Just months after the record-breaking sale of Michael Jordan ‘Last Dance’ 1998 NBA finals jersey, this successful sale of another incomparable legend’s jersey – one of the most significant jerseys to ever hit the auction block – further proves that the demand for sports memorabilia is at an all-time high, and that the magic of sports continues to transcend and ignite fans and collectors alike. We are extremely proud that Sotheby’s is at the helm of this dynamic market and that we were entrusted to offer this historic sports relic to the public.”
The historic jersey was worn during James’ first career NBA Finals Game 7 appearance when he won back-to-back championships and NBA Finals MVP awards with the Heat — one of six players to ever accomplish said feats in consecutive seasons. Furthermore, Friday’s $3.7 million result shattered the previous record for a game-worn LeBron James jersey — previously his jersey from the 2020 NBA All-Star Game, which sold for $630,000.
The current record for any item of LeBron James memorabilia is an autographed rookie card — $5.2 million in 2021 (the second highest-priced basketball trading card in history).
Read More:
- Austin Ekeler: Workhorse Entrepreneur Always in Command
- How Verizon Tackles Connectivity in Detroit During the 2024 NFL Draft
- The Digital Athlete: How the NFL & AWS Leverage Data to Keep Players Safe
- Microsoft Gambles Big With $1.5B Investment in Foreign AI Firm
- The Jordan Luka 3: A Design Driven by Dončić
Get on our list for weekly sports business, industry trends, interviews, and more.
