Wilt Chamberlain’s Los Angeles Lakers uniform from the 1969 NBA Finals, when he faced off against arch-rival Bill Russell and the Celtics for the last time, will sell next week at Sotheby’s, and bidding could potentially stretch into the millions at Sotheby’s.
The last time a Chamberlain jersey from the NBA Finals crossed the auction block (from the 1972 Finals), it sold for $4.9 million in 2023.
The jersey has been matched to two games during the series, as well as a photo of Chamberlain during the regular season which was part of The Sporting News 100 Years of Sports Images.
Very few photo-matched Chamberlain gamers have ever sold publicly. Some of the other most expensive results, other than the record-breaking 1972 Finals jersey, include a 1960 Warriors jersey worn by Chamberlain for the full season including playoffs which sold for nearly $1.8 million in 2023, as well as a jersey matched to an undated photo from the late 1950s, which sold for nearly $490,000 in 2022.
Bidding for the uniform currently sits at $320,000.
Another lot in the auction features a gold necklace owned by Chamberlain, which is engraved on the back with the words: “CURIOSITY KILLED A CAT: TURNING THIS OVER WON’T BRING IT BACK.”
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.