The buzz surrounding Wembanyama, the seven-foot prodigy making waves in the league, reached a fever pitch when his second-half jersey from the debut showdown against the Dallas Mavericks went under the hammer. Pre-auction estimates? Child's play, my friends. They predicted a modest $80,000 to $120,000, but the market had different plans. In a jaw-dropping turn of events, this rookie sensation's jersey emerged as the highest-grossing debut jersey in NBA history, leaving everyone in the dust.
Let's put this in perspective. Remember Zion Williamson's debut jersey? Yeah, the one that snagged $80,040 a month after his NBA premiere in 2020? Well, Wembanyama just dunked all over that record. And hold your breath because the all-time rookie uniform record of $3.69 million, held by the legendary Kobe Bryant, is suddenly looking a bit shaky.
Sotheby's, now the official game-worn source of the NBA, orchestrated a spectacle that drew in 176 bidders from 14 countries. That's more competition than a one-on-one between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. An average of 24 bids per lot, and Wembanyama's debut jersey alone raked in a whopping 62 bids. It's safe to say that the bidding war was more intense than an overtime nail-biter.
But let's not forget the little details that make this victory even sweeter. The previous auction record for Wembanyama memorabilia was a humble $62,000, paid for a jersey he rocked during his summer league debut with the San Antonio Spurs. Fast forward, and this rising star is commanding seven figures for a single piece of history.
The Sotheby's auction, a 64-lot extravaganza, wasn't just about Wembanyama's jersey stealing the spotlight. Oh no, there were other notable players in the mix. Brandon Miller, the No. 3 overall pick, saw his debut jersey fetch $27,940, while Scoot Henderson's No. 2 overall pick jersey commanded a cool $19,050.
In the end, Tuesday's auction drummed up a colossal $1.249 million, setting the stage for a new era in sports memorabilia. The NBA, already a global phenomenon, has just witnessed a seismic shift in the valuation of rookie jerseys, and Victor Wembanyama is leading the charge. Keep your eyes on the court because this is just the beginning of a legacy in the making. Fasten your seatbelts, sports fans, because the game has changed, and Wembanyama is at the forefront of the revolution.