THE debut jerseys of NBA legends Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are set to hit auction this month.
And the pieces of basketball history are expected to fetch an eye-popping $20MILLION, according to experts.
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Both Jerseys are in line to be auctioned by famous auction house Sotheby’s on March 21.
The two jerseys will be offered as individual single-lot sales rather than being sold as a package.
Jordan’s jersey was worn during his NBA preseason debut on October 5, 1984 – a 102-98 win over the Indiana Pacers that saw him lead the game with 18 points.
MJ has even signed the historic jersey too.
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Kobe’s jersey was worn during his regular-season debut on November 3, 1996.
The late great was just 18 years old when he donned the Lakers’ iconic purple and gold for the first time in a 91-86 win over the Timberwolves.
Kobe managed just six minutes of action that day, missing the only shot he took and getting one rebound and one block.
The two superstars went on to win a combined 11 rings and six MVP awards.
Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles, Brahm Wachter said: “The historical weight of these two jerseys is difficult to overstate, they are as rare as they come.
“Early rookie jerseys represent the genesis of an athlete’s career.
“For collectors in search of true one-of-one treasures, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own iconic pieces of basketball history.
“Debut games are something every athlete experiences just once in their career journey, and is a moment where the hype of their pre-professional career finally comes to bear in the big leagues.”
Sotheby’s website also has an upcoming listing for Lebron James’ 2013 NBA Finals Game Two jersey – the year that he led the Miami Heat to a second consecutive title.
That listing is expected fetch somewhere in the region of $1.5MILLION itself.
Other notable sports jerseys have made a killing in recent years.
Jordan’s ‘Last Dance’ jersey from Game One of the 1998 NBA Finals made an unbelievable $10MILLION when it went to auction in 2022.
While six of the jersey’s worn by Inter Miami star Lionel Messi during Argentina’s 2022 World Cup success sold for a combined $7.8MILLION in 2023.
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