Since the 2023-24 season, Sotheby has worked with the league in hosting live NBA auctions (New York, Paris) and activations (Abu Dhabi). Sotheby’s sold Cooper Flagg’s debut jersey in February for a record-setting $1 million, which the league said eclipsed Victor Wembanyama’s previous record when his jersey sold for $762,000 in 2023. In March, Sotheby auctioned off various Scottie Pippen’s autographed memorabilia from the 1992 Olympics and from parts of his six NBA Finals appearances. The league said it drove over $6 million in revenue and attracted collectors from 32 different countries. The Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards also have collectible programs and official partnerships. As for the Cavaliers, their partnership with The Realest involves both organizations striving to achieve two goals. The first? “To make sure that a Cavs fan can own any piece of history,” Kaiser said. The second? “People can find an environment where they know it’s credible, it’s authenticated and it’s real,” Keeney said.
