$500k+ Air Jordans, Bulls championship rings headline Sotheby's $1M+ NBA auction

Owning a piece of NBA history? It's more than flashing a collectible. For true basketball fans, it's about nostalgia, holding a slice of the game's legacy, and, for the savvy, making a smart investment.

If that gets your pulse racing, Sotheby's latest auction offers a rare chance to bid on the league's most legendary artifacts. Sure, many of these won't come cheap, but some buyers might bite — after all, very few people have ever even touched stuff like this.

Auction fever hits

Sotheby's, the renowned auction house now based in New York but originally founded in Britain, is better known for fine art, jewelry and antiques. However, it also deals in elite sports memorabilia.

A glance at Sotheby's "Winter Sports Classic" shows jerseys worn by Shohei Ohtani in baseball and Rory McIlroy in golf — but basketball fans won't skimp when it comes to owning a piece worn by "their" legends.

One of those is the late Kobe Bryant, or more precisely, the jersey the late NBA icon wore in Games 2 and 5 of the 2010 first-round matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now it's on the market. Not exactly pocket change — around $85,000.

A full set of his 1990s Chicago Bulls championship rings — six in total — is also available.

Alongside that, a signed, game-worn pair of Michael Jordan's Nike Air Ship sneakers from a late November 1984–85 clash with the Phoenix Suns is also up for grabs.

Bidding is heating up fast. The ring set has already garnered offers of around $55,000, while the Air Ships have surpassed $500,000, likely bid by a true sneakerhead willing to pay top dollar.

Related: Snoop Dogg marvels at Luka Doncic's new $5 million hypercar: "You Batman now"

Fans can bid until mid-December

Bryant and Jordan may dominate the spotlight, but Sotheby's auction has plenty of other NBA names that catch the eye — and as a silver lining, they won't fetch quite as high a price.

Take Kawhi Leonard's jersey, for instance — the one he wore with the Toronto Raptors during Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors. It's currently drawing bids of around $800.

Anthony Davis' away jersey from the 2019 NBA Tip-Off, when the Los Angeles Lakers played the Los Angeles Clippers, is also up for grabs, along with Blake Griffin's rookie home jersey from the 2010–11 season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers.

Kevin Durant is also there, with his jersey from his first official game with the Warriors against the San Antonio Spurs.

These "premiere" jerseys are relatively affordable: Davis' is at $200. Griffin's around $1,100. Only Durant's has already climbed up to $3,500.

For those craving something more tangible — although actually using it would border on madness — there's the Game 6 ball from the 2000 NBA Finals, when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers to clinch the championship. Bids have already hit $400,000.

Adding a modern twist, Sotheby's is auctioning the ring the Denver Nuggets received after beating the Boston Celtics in the 2023 NBA Finals, which is currently valued at $100.

Until mid-December, bidding stays open, and with so many more items on the table, there's genuinely something for everyone. Even if you're just browsing, it's enough to stir a real wave of nostalgia.

Related: "I was pretty sure he had enough money and could afford it" - Steve Kerr felt Michael Jordan was perfect for the owner role in Charlotte

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.