Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are probably the two most iconic players to represent the NBA. This stardom has also been reflected in the jersey sales of the superstars. According to Sotheby’s – A luxury fine arts company, in September 2022, Jordan set the record for the costliest game-worn memorabilia at $10 million, and just months later, Kobe set his own record as his jersey sold for $5.8 million.
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Michael Jordan has been a role model for generations of players, but his most treasured pupil will always be Kobe Bryant. The Black Mamba has emulated his game to match that of Jordan. However, what separated them from the rest is an unmatched work ethic and an incomparable winning mentality. Maybe that’s what makes their game-worn memorabilia the most valuable piece of collectible.
Kobe Bryant sets record value for his game-worn jersey
Sotheby’s is a well-known fine arts company that is the world’s leader in brokering collectible items in auctions. In February 2023, they auctioned a 2007-2008 season game-worn Los Angeles Lakers jersey of Kobe Bryant. The Lakers legend wore the jersey for 25 games of the season. To add to the sentimental value of the collectible, it happened to be Kobe’s only MVP season.
Kobe Bryant’s game-worn jersey from his MVP season has sold for $5.8 million at Sotheby’s.
It’s the 2nd-most expensive basketball jersey ever sold — and a record for any Kobe Bryant item. pic.twitter.com/RKtyzm0ca9
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 10, 2023
With memorabilia of such a popular icon and having great sentimental value, it was bound to shatter records. The jersey reportedly set Kobe’s personal record by going for 5.8 million dollars. This became the legend’s costliest game-worn item ever which also happens to be part of an iconic photo where he is seen grabbing the jersey after making a three-point shot in Game 2 of a Western Conference series.
Just months before, Jordan’s jersey was sold by the same company for $10 million. He had worn the Chicago Bulls jersey during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA finals. His team went on to win the championship in what would be his last dance on the NBA court as a Chicago Bulls. The jersey would also break the record for the most expensive game-worn collectible sold at an auction.
Jordan and Kobe’s career earnings
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant played in the league for a considerable amount of time, cashing in huge contracts. Jordan played for 15 seasons between 1984-2003, while Kobe played for 20 seasons between 1996-2016. Here is a comparison of their career earnings from the NBA.
His ‘Airness’ ended his career with an estimated earnings of $93,877,500. The majority of his money came from the Chicago Bulls franchise, where he won six championships. The two seasons with the Washington Wizards earned him approximately 2 million dollars. It is worth noting that Jordan’s net worth stands close to 2 billion dollars.
On the other hand, the Los Angeles Lakers superstar ended his career with estimated earnings of $323,312,307. He spent his entire career with the Los Angeles franchise, where he managed to lead his team to five championships. If not for the tragic accident in which the beloved icon lost his life, he would have been a part of the richest NBA players in the world.
