Kobe Bryant's Game-Worn Lower Merion Jersey Up For Auction

A jersey worn by Kobe Bryant when he competed at Lower Merion High School is up for auction, and it's expected to yield at least $1 million.

Bryant wore the maroon knit pullover during his junior year at Lower Merion, in 1994-95. Online auction house Sotheby's says it's one of the NBA legend's earliest game-worn jerseys to hit the public market. Here's the listing.

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The jersey last sold for $51,400 in 2013, according to sports media figure Darren Rovell. But Sotheby's expects it to sell for $1-to-2 million when the auction closes on Oct. 28.

SIA Photo Match — a company that authenticates sports photos and merchandise — says the jersey matches up with pictures of Bryant from 1995. SIA also reviewed a signed letter from his mother, Pamela Bryant, stating that Kobe wore the jersey in high school.

After spending part of his childhood in Italy for his father's basketball career, Bryant and his family moved back to the Philadelphia area. Bryant played basketball for Lower Merion High School from 1992-96, leading the Aces to the 1996 state championship and gaining national attention.

Bryant became one of the greatest players in NBA history, winning five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and appearing in 18 All-Star games.

In 2020, Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna were among nine people killed in a helicopter crash. He was 41.

After Bryant's death, the Lower Merion School District called him "one our most illustrious alumni."

"Mr. Bryant's connection to Lower Merion High School, where he played basketball prior to joining the NBA, has raised the profile of the high school and our District throughout the world," the district said in a statement. "Our school community will always be grateful for his ongoing generosity to his alma mater, including his dedication of our Kobe Bryant Gymnasium and his support of our boys' and girls' basketball teams."