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Victor Wembanyama's skyrocketing reputation has been cemented early in his NBA career, with the French rookie's jersey from his first regular-season game fetching a staggering $762,000 at a Sotheby's auction. The initial estimate of $80,000-$120,000 was quickly surpassed as the bids for the San Antonio Spurs' white jersey soared, defying expectations to reach one of the highest sums ever paid for an NBA rookie debut jersey. The record for any game-worn rookie jersey still stands at $3.6 million for a Kobe Bryant jersey sold in 2021.
The jersey in question, donned by the towering 7'4" Wembanyama during a match against the Dallas Mavericks on October 25, witnessed a robust 62 bids, with a flurry of activity in the auction's final minutes. Wembanyama, who is just 19 years old, is already averaging impressive stats this season, with 18.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.
This sale follows another high-profile auction where a jersey worn by Wembanyama during his NBA Summer League debut went for $62,000. Sotheby's recent partnership with the NBA as the official game-worn jersey partner kicked off with this auction, which saw nearly 60 other jerseys being sold and a total auction revenue exceeding $1.2 million. This inaugural event attracted 176 bidders from 14 countries.
In contrast to the high-profile Wembanyama jersey, other notable NBA players' season opener jerseys fetched more modest amounts. LeBron James' jersey sold for $50,820, while Damian Lillard's Milwaukee Bucks jersey brought in $30,480. Jerseys worn by Giannis Antetokounmpo fetched $25,400, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic's sold for $17,780, Steph Curry's for $27,940, and Jayson Tatum's for $8,890.
