Valuable LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain finds highlight rewards for savvy memorabilia buyers

Nothing beats finding a bargain. Doing so in the sports collectibles world these days, with more attention and money pouring into the industry than ever before, makes unearthing a deal particularly thrilling. And lucrative. Quinn Brown, a 19-year-old professional thrifter from Portland, Ore., spotted a Los Angeles Lakers warmup jacket bearing Wilt Chamberlain’s name on the back in a local Goodwill store and knew it was worth buying at just $3.07. He then took the jacket to Sports Investor Authentication (SIA) Photo Match, which identified that Chamberlain wore it during the 1972 NBA Finals. Brown then turned around and sold the jacket through Sotheby’s for $89,600 last week. The discovery of a LeBron James 2022 All-Star Game jersey interrupted the Chamberlain hubbub. Sold on eBay for $800, the jersey was listed as “used” but made no mention that it was used by James himself in the actual NBA All-Star Game. After being photo-matched — a process wherein experts compare identifying details such as unique scuff marks or stitching imperfections to player photos from a particular event — to the jersey James wore in that All-Star Game, memorabilia experts Chris Ivy and David Kohler told The Athletic the eBay find should sell for at least in the $140,000 range, with the possibility of a $250,000 price point. For someone as seasoned as Ivy, the director of sports auctions for Heritage Auctions, it’s a lesson in always keeping your eyes wide open as a collector.