Victor Wembanyama's First NBA Game Jersey Sells Big In Auction

Victor Wembanyama's status as one of his generation's most outstanding basketball prospects has one fan spending close to a million dollars!

The French athlete officially stepped into the NBA world following his San Antonio Spurs team selection in the 2023 draft. Although the rising sensation debuted in October, his rookie jersey became the hottest item on the Sotheby's auction block and was sold for a staggering fee.

Experts must be pleasantly shocked as their predictions about the 19-year-old athlete exceeded their expectations. Last week, Wembanyama's debut jersey for the Spurs landed on the auction site, with people believing it would rack up to $100k or less.

However, the media personality's No. 1 jersey broke records by selling for more than five times its predicted amount. The French native donned the white, silver, and black outfit for the first time on October 25 during his team's match against the Dallas Mavericks, where he made a big splash.

Wembanyama's debut game must have significantly impressed the bidder, given that they happily closed down the Sotheby's auction block with nearly a million dollars to own the Pro A Most Valuable Player honoree's game-worn jersey.

The unidentified fan, per TMZ, won the 19-year-old's jersey for $762,000 on Tuesday, November 21. While the individual may have paid a high price for the basketball player's rookie jersey, it could be considered a wise investment given the athlete's rising fame on the court.

Wembanyama has shown exceptional skills in 14 games so far, averaging 18.6 points per game as well as 9.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, one steal, and 2.6 blocks. Likewise, his debut match against the Dallas Mavericks in October was a night to remember.

The No. 1 pick in the NBA draft used his 7-foot-4 height to the fullest to turn the game in the Spurs' favor. As shared by the NBA, the Pro A Best Scorer honoree blocked a shot in the opening minute and scored his first NBA points with a 3-pointer at the 8:25 mark in the first quarter.

Wembanyama achieved his second 3-pointer of the night with two minutes left in the opening quarter. Unfortunately, the six points were all the athlete got in the first three quarters of the game before he was forced to exit the court after receiving his fourth foul.

However, the 3-time Pro A Best Young Player turned his luck around in the fourth quarter by scoring nine extra points. The French sensation concluded his NBA debut with 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting (3 for 5 from long distance), five rebounds, two assists, and a block.

Sadly, his efforts to attain victory were insufficient, as the match ended with the Spurs' 126-119 loss to the Mavericks. Their defeat did not overshadow Wembanyama's achievements, and the rising NBA star positively reflected on the night, saying:

"I was just focused on being the best I can be when I stepped back on the court."

Dallas All-Star Luka Doncic echoed similar sentiments about Wembanyama's skills. "He's going to be amazing; he already is," the basketball player chimed and then added, "The size obviously (stands out), like everybody talks. The way he moves (7-foot-3), he moves incredibly. He moves like a point guard almost. It's pretty amazing to see."

Wembanyama's rookie jersey sale is not the first time the French athlete has made waves. In June, the 2-time LNB All-Star gave the first pitch at the Yankees Stadium two days before the 2023 NBA draft.

The teenager, affectionately dubbed "Wemby" by his fans, dressed casually for his baseball moment in an open Yankees jersey and shorts. However, an MLB career does not appear to be in the Pro A Best Defender honoree's future, given his lack of skills in the sport.

At the game, the media personality pitched a fastball that ended up outside the catcher's reach. But Wembanyama's failed pitching attempt did not weigh him down as the 19-year-old smiled and shrugged off his mistake.

Surprisingly, fans were more concerned about the basketball player's height and how everyday things looked out of the ordinary in Wembanyama's case. The comments came underneath the NBA Buzz post showing how small a baseball looked in the athlete's hand. They captioned the update, "Victor Wembanyama holding a baseball is INSANE!”

"Alright, I can see how that would be hard to throw a baseball. It's the equivalent of us average people throwing a marble," a fan teased with another, adding: "Looks like he's holding a stone."