He has yet to play a regular-season game in the NBA, but Zion Williamson is already setting records.
Williamson, the 6-foot-7, 285-pound power forward out of Duke, was drafted No. 1 in this year’s NBA Draft by the New Orleans Pelicans. The New York Post, quoting figures from Fanatics.com — an NBA partner that operates the league’s online store and also a store in New York City — reported that within five days after he was drafted, Williamson sold more Nike jerseys and T-shirts than all of the 2018 NBA Draft first-rounders combined.
Those are some big numbers. Now, just imagine what a game-worn jersey would bring.
Collectors and fans will get that chance.
NBA Auctions and Mei Gray are offering a game-worn Williamson jersey from the 2019 NBA Summer League. It’s the first Williamson NBA jersey to reach the market.
Williamson wore the jersey during the Pelicans’ 80-74 victory against the New York Knicks on July 5, 2019, in Las Vegas. Williamson played nine minutes during the game, scoring 11 points and pulling down three rebounds. He also had one steal.
Williamson’s white jersey is a Size XK+4 inches extra length and is registered into the NBA and MeiGray game-worn authentication program. The front sports Williamson’s No. 1, along with “Pelicans” in block letters. The No. 1, with Williamson’s name, is stitched across the back of the uniform.
The auction closes Oct. 10 at 10:12 p.m. EDT.
Williamson’s game-used jersey is probably the most highly anticipated piece of pre-rookie season memorabilia since Stephen Curry’s Warriors NBA Summer League jersey from a July 10, 2009, game in Las Vegas, was auctioned off in 2017. That jersey pulled in $8,400.
After just a few days on the website, Williamson’s jersey is already past the $4,500 mark and will likely reach well into five figures.
In the same sale, NBA Auctions has two Curry jerseys that were rapidly increasing in price.
One is a white game-used uniform Curry wore March 13, 2019, when the Warriors edged the Houston Rockets 106-104 at Toyota Center in Houston. Curry played 35 minutes and scored 24 points, adding five assists, four rebounds and two steals.
The second item is a blue home uniform Curry wore during the Warriors’ 137-90 victory against the Charlotte Hornets on March 31, 2019, at Oracle Arena in Oakland, California.
Both auctions for the Curry jerseys end shortly after 11 p.m. EDT on Oct. 3.
That Williamson jersey isn’t the only game-worn item up for auction right now. Goldin Auctions has several pieces of gear from his high school career.
One uniform is a Team USA “The Path” jersey, while another is a red practice jersey and practice shorts Williamson wore during his prep career at Spartanburg (S.C.) Day School. If you like footwear, a pair of red size 15s and a pair of electric lime green sneakers — Williamson wore the latter pair during the 2016 Under Armour Elite 24 tournament in Brooklyn, New York, when Williamson was a rising junior.
All four items are among six different Williamson lots being offered in the auction.