Cooper Flagg's rookie debut jersey for the Dallas Mavericks made headlines this month, selling privately for a staggering $1 million through Sotheby’s. This sale marks the highest known price for a Flagg collectible so far.
Brahm Wachter, the head of modern collectibles at Sotheby’s, highlighted the significance of this sale, drawing parallels to the early demand seen with LeBron James memorabilia. Flagg's jersey, worn during the first half of his NBA regular-season debut against the San Antonio Spurs on October 22, 2025, has set a new benchmark, surpassing the previous record held by Victor Wembanyama’s debut jersey, which sold for $762,000.
The decision to sell Flagg’s jersey privately rather than at auction was a strategic move, reflecting the intense interest in rookie memorabilia. Wachter noted the strong demand for items from athletes' rookie seasons, akin to the chase for rookie cards in the collectibles market.
While Michael Jordan's autographed 1984 rookie jersey still holds the record for the most expensive rookie jersey at $4.2 million, Flagg's sale is remarkable in its own right. Interestingly, the jersey didn’t include the Rookie Debut Patch, which was removed post-game to be featured in a one-of-a-kind autographed Topps trading card. This card is poised to potentially set new records, with Flagg’s highest card sale to date being $180,000 for his 2025-26 Topps Chrome Silver Pack autographed Superfractor rookie card.
Topps has yet to announce which set will feature the NBA Rookie Debut Patch cards. The concept, which began in baseball, saw the Paul Skenes Debut Patch card fetch $1.11 million, setting a precedent for high-value collectibles.
Wachter anticipates that Flagg’s upcoming Topps Rookie Debut Patch card could become one of the most talked-about modern cards, potentially fetching millions. Meanwhile, Sotheby’s is gearing up for an NBA rookie debut jersey auction in partnership with the league, featuring jerseys from several promising rookies.
This event underscores the growing allure and investment potential in sports memorabilia, with Flagg’s debut jersey sale being a standout moment in this evolving market.