-
dan hazdaki
multiple authors
Jason Williams’ Game-Worn Home White Sacramento Kings A jersey from the lockout-shortened 1998–99 NBA season, his rookie year, has sold privately for $140,000.
This is the most spent on any Williams item.
Authentication and photo-matching company Meigre, with the assistance of a letter from Williams’ father, authenticated the jersey in December 2023 and matched it to more than half a dozen games from the 1998–99 season, including Williams’ first pre-season game as a professional and Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. utah jazz.
“We have only photo-matched one white and one black game-worn Jason Williams rookie season jersey,” said Barry Meisel, president and chief operating officer of Meigre. “This was still the era where players had one or two jerseys a season – and a rookie jersey is as good as it gets in the game-worn hobby.”
Meigre sold the jersey to an undisclosed buyer represented by fine art and collectibles advisory firm Curio Advisors, which counts clients ranging from entrepreneurs and individual art collectors to financial funds and even nation-states that have begun investing in sports memorabilia.
“There are people out there who are really interested in the culture around Jason Williams,” said Bradley Calleja, founder and CEO of Curio Advisors. “He was in the top five in jersey sales his rookie year – everyone’s seen his highlight tape – but when it comes to his [game-worn] There are only a few jerseys there and this is the only white jersey we have.”
This is the same jersey that Williams wore when she was photographed for the cover of Slam’s August 1999 issue, which Slam Media president David Schnoor said was one of the most awarded covers in the magazine’s history.
“Penny [Hardaway] and vegetables[uille O’Neal] Made the Magic jersey iconic; [Michael] Jordan and [Scottie] Pippen made the Bulls jersey iconic; Muggsy Boggs, Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning made the Hornets jersey iconic,” Schnurr said. “Chris Webber and Jason Williams did that for the Kings.”
When news of the sale reached Williams, he was shocked.
Williams told ESPN, “It’s crazy to me, the prices on merchandise, cards, things like that… but it’s pretty cool that someone has that much money to spend on my tattered jersey.” “I want all my teammates’ numbers on that jersey, too. Without their teammates, there’s no 55. I’m just grateful, brother.”
He said he hopes buyers will consider guesting with Ron on his Barstool podcast, “Whoopin’ N Hollerin.”
“I could never imagine anyone would buy my jersey at any price,” he said. “I’d like to meet the guy who bought the jersey.”
