Sotheby’s
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Source: Courtesy Sotheby’s / Sotheby’s
Since his untimely passing in 2020, Kobe Bryant-related memorabilia and attire has been a hot commodity amongst fans and collectors. Now, someone out there will have the chance to own something extremely rare as Kobe’s personal locker is now up for auction.
Source: Courtesy Sotheby’s / Sotheby’s
Sotheby’s has begun taking bids for Kobe Bryant’s Staples Center locker, which was actually discarded once the Staples Center underwent renovations back in 2018. Luckily, it was recovered and is now a coveted piece of Kobe Bryant history, which is sure to bring in millions of dollars. Can you believe they were actually willing to chuck this locker?
Sotheby’s Head of Modern Collectables, Brahm Wachter, knew this was something akin to a grail for hardcore sports fan and stated as much in a press release for the auction saying, “Kobe Bryant’s locker at the Staples Center is more than just a piece of memorabilia; it’s a sacred relic of his unparalleled journey. This locker was Kobe’s sanctuary amidst triumphs and challenges, a witness to the highs and lows of a storied career. Every achievement and hardship left its mark within these walls. Its appearance now at auction symbolizes a rare opportunity to own a unique piece of Kobe’s legacy.”
We couldn’t agree more.
The auction for Kobe Bryant’s personal locker will be live from Tuesday, July 23 until August 2 and carries an estimated value of $1-1.5 million. Who will end up with the winning bid and how much they’ll actually end up dropping is anyone’s guess, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was someone who actually knew Kobe personally whether it be a fellow NBA player or a celebrity of some sort.
Would you drop a King Kong-sized grip to own a piece of Kobe Bryant history? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Sotheby’s / Sotheby’s
Retro Jordan sneakers may be struggling to move out on the secondary market these days, but actual game-worn Jordan sneakers are still fetching some pretty big bucks on the auction block.
Nice Kicks is reporting that a collection of game-worn Air Jordan sneakers that his Airness wore during his historic championship run the the 1990s fetched quite a pretty penny. The “Dynasty Collection,” which featured six different pairs of Air Jordan sneakers (VI, VII, VIII, XI, XII and XIV) that Michael Jordan wore when he clinched his six NBA Championships sold for a staggering $8 million in a global auction that was held by Sotheby’s. Keep in mind, these were single sneakers; they weren’t even paired up, but they were game-worn and autographed by the greatest of all time.
Nice Kicks reports:
This remarkable accomplishment positions the Dynasty Collection as the second most valuable Michael Jordan memorabilia ever auctioned, trailing only behind Jordan’s iconic 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey from the renowned ‘Last Dance’ season. The jersey fetched an astonishing $10.1 million at a Sotheby’s auction in September 2022, still holding the world record for any game-worn sports memorabilia. Additionally, Sotheby’s retains the record for the highest-selling pair of sneakers, with Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals Game 2 Air Jordan 13s from ‘The Last Dance’ season, which netted $2.2 million in April 2023.
“Today’s record-breaking price is a testament to the GOAT. The Dynasty Collection undeniably ranks among the most significant compilations of sports memorabilia in history. Serving as both a reminder of Michael Jordan’s lasting impact on the world and a tangible expression of his recognized legendary status, its significance is further validated by this monumental result.”
Naturally, the buyer’s identity is being withheld as Sotheby’s doesn’t want to put a target on anyone at this point. But whoever dumped $8 million to own a piece of sports history must have pockets as deep as Jay-Z because dayumn!
Check out pics of the “Dynasty Collection” below, and let us know if you’d drop $8 million on these if you had it like that in the comments section.
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A few years ago, Spike Lee donned an ultra-exclusive pair of gold Air Jordan 3s custom made by the Jumpman brand for his big night at the 2019 Oscar Awards, and apparently someone chucked them to a donation bin.
Artnet is reporting that one of the holiest of sneaker grails found their way into a donation bin at an Oregon homeless charity earlier this year, via an anonymous donor, and will now be put on the auction block for a King Kong sized grip. Who could’ve done this? How did these end up getting donated? Are they fake? While the first two questions remain to be answered, the third already has been.
Per Artnet:
In a blog post, the Portland Rescue Mission explained how a volunteer found the shoes while sorting through donations which drop down through a chute. “Obviously they must be fakes, we thought, because why would the real thing end up in our donation bins?” said Erin Holcomb, the director of the program.
Holcomb explained that they took the shoes to a “high end sneaker resale shop” to get its opinion on their authenticity, and that the owner “offered to buy them from me on the spot for $10,000 or to consign them in his store for a potentially larger return.” Holcomb did further research and found that another pair had been auctioned by Sotheby’s in 2021 and sold for $47,880.
Y’all know when an authenticator offers you that kind of money, they’re 100% official tissue. Knowing that they could fetch much more for the Portland Rescue Mission, Holcomb organized with Sotheby’s auction house to have the sneakers included in their Dec. 18 auctions, which featured “some of the most sought-after collectibles and sneakers in existence.”
Not only did the sneakers sell for a whopping $50,800 (after expecting to fetch between $15,000 – $20,000), but Sotheby’s was kind enough to wave their fee so that 100% of the money could go to the Portland Rescue Mission.
You gotta love it.
While we may never know who dropped off these grails in the donation bid, in the end, it turned out to be quite the Christmas gift for an important organization.
More from Artnet:
No one knows who donated the shoes. Tinker [Hatfield] has said that he is “thrilled the shoes ended up here. It’s a happy ending to a really great project.”
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Source: Sotheby’s / Sotheby’s
Two decades after retiring from the NBA and Michael Jordan is still out here breaking records in 2023.
After hitting the auction block on Sotheby’s, Michael Jordan’s game worn pair of Air Jordan 13‘s ended up selling for a record $2.2 million, making it the most expensive pair of sneakers ever sold. The autographed pair of Air Jordan 13’s were expected to sell for a record amount. But it’s still pretty shocking that someone out there would drop more than $2 million to own a pair of kicks that aren’t even wearable as they’re sure to crumble should anyone even attempt to try them on.
As for how these grails came to hit the public eye for auction, Sneaker News got the story behind that one and man did some lucky ballboy get the ultimate come-up.
From Sneaker News:
As the story goes, a Utah Jazz ballboy had previously recovered Jordan’s lost jacket at a practice in Salt Lake City. When it was returned to the GOAT, the ballboy asked for a pair of game-worn shoes in return. Following his 37-point performance to tie the series at one apiece, Jordan gifted and autographed the toe box of the jet-black tumbled pair with bright silver Sharpie. While in-game creases line the vibrant red nubuck overlays and dimpled sidewalls, the “He Got Game” synonymous silhouette remains in pristine condition having been authenticated by NBA affiliate the MeiGray Group.
Lucky bastard.
Keep in mind that the Air Jordan 13 isn’t even in the top five of most popular Air Jordan silhouettes and still ended up the most expensive pair ever sold. Had these been a pair of game-worn autographed Air Jordan 1, 3 or 4’s, it would’ve been a wrap.
While we don’t know who ended up having the winning bid for the sneakers (we say DJ Khaled), someone out there done got themselves a helluva pair of grails that might forever remain inside a display case where they belong. (Please don’t try to wear these, Mr. Big Shot.)
What do y’all think of the final selling price? Who do y’all think might’ve came out of pocket something ridiculous for this pair? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Sotheby’s / Courtesy of Southeby’s
A game-worn jersey from NBA superstar LeBron James has set a record for being the priciest of its kind ever sold on the open market.
According to reports, the vaunted Sotheby’s firm auctioned off the current Los Angeles Lakers forward’s game jersey which was worn during Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals, which was won by the Miami Heat team that he was a member of. It was worn as James led his Heat team with 37 points and 12 rebounds in a clutch performance to win the second of back-to-back titles against the San Antonio Spurs. James would also go on to be named Finals MVP after the game, which earned him his second such honor in a row. The jersey was purchased for $3.7 million, which broke the record for a game-worn James top. That was previously set at $630,000, which was the price paid for his 2020 All-Star Game jersey.
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“Today’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 Sotheby’s head of streetwear and collectibles Brahm Wachter in a statement. “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.”
The aforementioned “Last Dance” jersey worn by Jordan stands atop the mountain of the most expensive jerseys auctioned off, going for a staggering $10.1 million dollars. The closest jersey to that mark was the “Hand of God” jersey worn by the late Diego Maradona during that pivotal 1986 World Cup match against England – that was sold for $9.3 million at an auction in May.
News of the sale comes as James is currently on another history-making tear, being 117 points shy of breaking the NBA’s all-time scoring record held by the legendary Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. It is believed that the 20-year forward may obtain that record within the next week.
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