Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Wilt rookie jersey nets record $1.79M at auction

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Saturday, 17 June 2023 23:30

In his rookie NBA season, Wilt Chamberlain didn't just smash the league's then-regular-season points record of Bob Pettit with his total of 2,707... he did so 56 games into his career. Chamberlain finished 1959-60 as the NBA MVP and Rookie of the Year, one of only two players (Wes Unseld is the other) to win both NBA MVP and ROY honors in the same season.

It was arguably the most dominant debut season in American sports history. Late Saturday night, a Chamberlain uniform from that season broke another record: Most expensive game-worn vintage (pre-1980) NBA item ever sold.

The uniform Chamberlain wore at every Philadelphia Warriors home game -- as well as some neutral contests and "even five playoff games, according to the included photo-matching analysis" -- sold with SCP Auctions for $1.792 million.

Chamberlain, who played with the Harlem Globetrotters for $50,000 in 1958-59 (more than $500,000 in 2023) after leaving the University of Kansas a year early, announced his arrival into the NBA in a way arguably no one has since. Because of the novelty of Chamberlain leaving Kansas early - unheard of in those days - Philadelphia's Eddie Gottlieb convinced the NBA that Chamberlain, a Philly product, should be a territorial draft choice.

The rest is history; such was Chamberlain's dominance that his 31,419 career points stood as the NBA record for 38 years before Kareem Abdul-Jabbar broke it in 1984 -- which took another 19 years to be broken by LeBron James, with 38,652 and counting.

The Chamberlain uniform was photo-matched and authenticated by the MeiGray Group, Resoluation Photomatching (ResMatch) and Sports Investors Authentication (SIA); an additional letter from Mears Authentication grades the Chamberlain uniform a perfect A10. Multiple authenticators verified that stains on the jersey are, in fact, Chamberlain's playing-days blood.

Per SCP Auctions, "the matching jersey and shorts set was originally procured director from Wilt Chamberlain decades ago by his close friend who would become a trusted collector in the hobby." The man isn't identified, but "a letter of provenance from this gentleman" was included in the auction lot.

Read 170 times

Soccer

Andrés Iniesta buys Danish team after retirement

Andrés Iniesta buys Danish team after retirement

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Barcelona and Spain midfielder Andrés Iniesta has become the...

Amorim: Not weighed down by Man Utd's history

Amorim: Not weighed down by Man Utd's history

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsRúben Amorim has said he doesn't feel "the weight" of Manchester Un...

McTominay on Man United exit: I have no regrets

McTominay on Man United exit: I have no regrets

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNapoli midfielder Scott McTominay has said he has no regrets after...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Kyrie sits out vs. Jazz to rest strained shoulder

Kyrie sits out vs. Jazz to rest strained shoulder

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSALT LAKE CITY -- Dallas guard Kyrie Irving sat out the Mavericks'...

Warriors guard Melton ruled out with ACL sprain

Warriors guard Melton ruled out with ACL sprain

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSAN FRANCISCO -- Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton has...

Baseball

Sims to replace Sterling as Yankees radio voice

Sims to replace Sterling as Yankees radio voice

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Dave Sims is replacing John Sterling as Suzyn Waldman's...

Sale, Crochet named comeback players of year

Sale, Crochet named comeback players of year

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLAS VEGAS -- Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garr...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated