Wilt Chamberlain's warm-up jacket fetches $89,000 at Sotheby's auction

The discovery was made by Quinn Brown, who resells used clothing online, in January at a charitable organization outside a small town in Oregon. As the AP news agency reported, the Lakers jacket bearing Chamberlain's name had been tossed back onto a pile as Brown entered the store. The purchase price: $3.07. Brown initially did his own research before Sotheby's confirmed the authenticity of the piece.

Auction and result

The auction house had estimated the jacket's value at $150,000 to $250,000 prior to the auction. In the end, on a Monday, the result at $89,000 fell below the lower estimate – for Brown, who had pulled the item from the clothing container of a thrift store, still an extraordinary return. Asked about the sale, Brown told AP: „It doesn't get any better than this."

The sale is part of a series of prominent Chamberlain memorabilia transactions. Back in 2023, Sotheby's had auctioned a jersey from the center's 1972 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks for $4.9 million. While a game-worn jersey thus fetched many times more than the warm-up jacket, the current case shows how even everyday equipment from sports icons can command high prices on the market.

Chamberlain's legacy

Chamberlain, whose death was marked in 1999, is considered one of the most defining figures in basketball history. His 100-point game on March 2, 1962, against the New York Knicks remains an unbroken record. The warm-up jacket now auctioned dates from his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, from the same period in which he won his second title with the team around 1972.

For Brown, who offered the garment through the auction house, the sale represents by far the largest single profit in his online resale business. The case also illustrates how the sports memorabilia market works: authentication by established houses, transparent estimates, and a bidding process that can quickly turn unexpected finds into five-figure returns.

Sports memorabilia market

Sotheby's said upon inquiry that the jacket had been authenticated following a review by in-house experts. Chamberlain had been associated with the auction house for many years, it added. The price now achieved is well below that of a game-worn jersey from the same series, but reflects the enduring value of memorabilia linked to one of the most famous athletes of the 20th century.

Overall, the auction illustrates how closely sports history and the collector market are now intertwined. Where jerseys and balls once disappeared into Hall of Fame display cases, training gear is increasingly entering the trade through secondhand channels. Brown's find shows that even an apparent piece of junk in a clothing closet can become a coveted collector's item – provided the story behind it is right.

The final auction accounting is still pending, according to Sotheby's, as the usual buyer's premium can push the total price higher. Brown announced that he intends to donate part of the proceeds. That would close the circle back to the charity shop where the jacket originally ended up – and from which the story of the secondhand find took its course.