Sotheby’s is listing an iconic jersey worn by LeBron James during his NBA Finals Game 7 victory with the Miami Heat against the San Antonio Spurs in 2013.
The company expects the jersey, to sell for between $3 million and $5 million in the online auction, making it among the most valuable game-worn jerseys of all time, according to a press release. The jersey, which he wore in the first half, is said to be James’ most valuable item to go up for sale.
The jersey commemorates James’ first NBA Finals Game 7 appearance, which was one of the most significant performances of his career. The bout against the San Antonio Spurs received the highest point tally of any winning Game 7 performance in NBA Finals history, Sotheby’s said in the release. The company added that the jersey also commemorates James’ back-to-back championships and NBA Finals MVP awards with the Miami Heat. James is one of only six players in NBA history to be awarded back-to-back NBA Finals MVP trophies.
James’ jersey will be showcased as part of Sotheby’s new cross-category sale, “The One,” which showcases objects from ancient civilizations as well as antique items related to fashion and entertainment, according to the press release.
The inaugural live auction will take place in New York on January 27.
“As Lebron is on the precipice of surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer, it’s significant to be offering a defining object in LeBron’s career which many attributes as the legacy-defining milestone that began the comparison between himself and Michael Jordan as the greatest player of all time,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, said in the release.
Retail investors have expanded into sports collectible markets to diversify their assets amid the uncertainty of traditional investing markets.
Sotheby’s has entered the sports memorabilia space in recent years, and currently holds the record for any game-worn item of sports memorabilia after selling Michael Jordan‘s 1998 “Last Dance” jersey for $10.1 million in September, according to the press release. The jersey surpassed the previous record of Diego Maradona’s “Hand of God” jersey, which sold for $9.3 million.