Wilt Chamberlain’s 1972 NBA Finals Jersey Expected to Fetch a Record-Setting $4M at Sotheby’s Auction
Wilt Chamberlain’s Finals Jersey Expected to Fetch a Record-Setting $4 Million at Sotheby’s Auction
A game-worn Los Angeles Lakers basketball jersey is expected to fetch more than $4 million in an upcoming auction by Sotheby’s.
According to NBA.com, Sotheby’s predicts that the Lakers jersey worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 season should set a record for a Chamberlain jersey. The current record for a jersey worn by the Hall of Fame legend is one he wore as an NBA rookie when he played for the Philadelphia Warriors. That item was auctioned off for $1.79 million two months ago in June 2023.
The auction house has stated that Chamberlain wore this particular jersey in the championship-clinching Game 5 victory over the New York Knicks in the 1972 NBA Finals. That was the Lakers’ first NBA championship in Los Angeles.
Wilt Chamberlain’s jersey—worn as the @Lakers clinched their first ever title in Los Angeles—is headed to auction at #SothebysNewYork. Find out more: https://t.co/9wp9JFB75R pic.twitter.com/ma9ywVSoUK
— Sotheby’s (@Sothebys) August 2, 2023
“This jersey holds an extraordinarily significant place in the history of Los Angeles, not only adorned by the man many consider to be the greatest player ever to step on the court, but as a relic from one of the greatest franchises in sports history,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles in a written statement.
Under the listing of the jersey on Sotheby’s website, it states that Chamberlain wore the jersey on the night of May 7, 1972. This clinched his second NBA championship and his stellar play throughout the series netted him his only NBA Finals MVP award. Despite having a broken hand, he poured in 24 points while pulling down 29 rebounds to bring the win for the team.
The same jersey is seen on the covers of “Sports Illustrated,” the October 16, 1972 issue with the headline “It All Depends on Wilt” and May 15, 1972 with the headline, “Los Angeles Champions at Last!.”
People can place a bid online starting on August 28 until the auction is over on September 27.
Chamberlain died in 1999 at the age of 63.
Wilt Chamberlain’s Finals Jersey Expected to Fetch a Record-Setting $4 Million at Sotheby’s Auction
