Wilt Chamberlain's Lakers warmup jacket sells for $89,600

A rare piece of sports history just found a new home for $89,600. In January, 19-year-old Quinn Brown was browsing a Goodwill in Portland when he spotted a jacket in a bargain bin. He paid just $3.07 for the item, which bore the colors of the Los Angeles Lakers.

After taking the piece home, Brown realized it might be something special. The name Chamberlain was stitched onto the back. He later posted a photo of the find, which caught the attention of experts at Sotheby’s. The auction house stepped in to authenticate the jacket, eventually enlisting photo-match technology to verify its origins.

The search proved fruitful. The jacket was authenticated as a piece worn by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain. It is linked to the 1971-72 season, which resulted in a championship for the Lakers. The garment was also matched to the 1972-73 season, marking the final year of Chamberlain’s career.

Sotheby’s noted that Chamberlain memorabilia is increasingly hard to locate, which explains the high value placed on this item at auction. What began as a simple thrift store run resulted in one of the most profitable vintage clothing flips in recent memory.