Kobe Bryant set several records during his illustrious NBA career, and he’s set to reach new heights posthumously thanks to a new piece of memorabilia.

According to Cllct’s Will Stern, the jersey that Bryant wore in his NBA debut is open for auction at Sotheby’s.

The jersey is now expected to sell for $10 million, making it one of the most expensive pieces of sports memorabilia in history. The jersey is already the highest-selling item of Bryant’s to hit the market.

Sotheby’s recently sold Michael Jordan’s debut jersey – worn in the 1984-85 season – for over $4.2 million.

“Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant’s first NBA career jerseys are not just memorabilia; they are enduring symbols of the ambition, skill, and willpower that defined their legendary careers,” said Sotheby’s head of modern collectibles Brahm Wachter.

“Debut games are unique milestones that every athlete experiences only once in their journey, making these jerseys especially coveted.”

Bryant’s jersey has been photo matched to moments like his first media day, first preseason game and his regular-season debut against the Minnesota Timberwolves on November 3, 1996.

Rookie items have been a consistent staple in the high-dollar sports collectible space. A 1952 rookie card for New York Yankees legend Mickey Mantle sold for $12.6 million in 2022, making it the most expensive piece of rookie memorabilia ever sold.

Bryant’s jersey rivals the Mantle card with the new sale, but it’s not the first time one of his jerseys has sold for millions. A signed Bryant jersey worn during his 2008 MVP season sold for nearly $6 million back in 2023.

LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 18: Magic Johnson, Jeanie Buss, Kobe Bryant, wife Vanessa Bryant and daughters Gianna Maria Onore Bryant, Natalia Diamante Bryant, Bianka Bella Bryant and Rob Pelinka pose for a picture during Kobe Bryant’s jersey retirement ceremony at halftime of a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Golden State Warriors at Staples Center on December 18, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
(Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

“This jersey is a tangible connection to the early stages of Bryant’s career,” Wachter said.

As the sports memorabilia market continues to grow, we’ll see which athletes can garner the most expensive prices for their memorabilia at auction.

Baseball has been a traditional leader in the space due to the sport’s expansive history, but the global popularity of basketball could result in a boom.

Jordan and Bryant are two of the most popular athletes of all time – regardless of sport – making them perfect candidates to produce a larger-than-life price for their game-worn items.