Victor Wembanyama’s Debut Jersey Gets $50K Bid On First Day Of Sotheby’s Auction

The debut of San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama was highly anticipated by basketball fans earlier this year. Now the seven-foot-four power forward’s debut jersey is expected to bring in some major cash.

The NBA announced its official partnership with Sotheby’s on Nov. 14 with the release of 60 game-worn threads. Bids on Wembanyama’s jersey from his first game quickly rose to $50,000, making it the auction’s most sought-after offering, Daily Mail reports.

Bidders will have until Nov. 21 to hedge their bets on the collector’s item.

The auction giant predicted that the French-born rookie’s jersey would sell for between $80,000-$120,000; however, that valuation could rise as Wembanyama continues to show signs of dominance in his first NBA season.

Currently, the 2023 No.1 draft pick is averaging 19.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.4 blocks per game—a well-rounded stat line for such a young player. In his opening night game against the Dallas Mavericks, Wembanyama put together a 15 point, five rebound, two assist, and one block performance that more than satisfied sports enthusiasts, ESPN reports.

Though the NBA rookie does not have a signature shoe yet, he signed a multi-year deal with sports giant Nike rumored to be worth $100 million before entering the league.

Wembanyama also boasts over 3.2 million followers on Instagram and has lucrative deals with several sports-related brands. His deal with the plant-based sports energy drink, Barcode, is said to be worth $500,000 annually, Sportcal reports, while his deal with the memorabilia and trading card company, Fanatics, will notch the young player an estimated $5 million per year. Additionally, Wembanyama’s agreement with the video game publisher, 2K Games, is valued at $3 million annually.

The ink on his brand deals were already dry before the 19-year-old suited up for his first NBA game.