Oregon teen sells Wilt Chamberlain jacket for $89,600

A 19-year-old Oregon man has sold a rare piece of basketball history for a life-changing sum after discovering it at a local thrift store for just over three dollars. Quinn Brown purchased a yellow warmup jacket worn by NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals for $3.07 at a Goodwill store outside Portland in January. On Monday, July 20, 2026, the jacket sold at a Sotheby's auction for $89,600.

Brown, who has spent three years reselling used clothing found at thrift stores online, recounted spotting the jacket after another shopper tossed it back onto a pile. He immediately picked it up, seeing Chamberlain's name emblazoned on the back. After purchasing it, Brown conducted his own research to verify the jacket's authenticity. He found a photograph on Google of Chamberlain wearing a similar jacket and compared stitching details on the Lakers patch. He also checked measurements against other Chamberlain memorabilia, which aligned with the jacket's size.

Still in disbelief, Brown posted a photo of the jacket on social media, which caught the attention of Sotheby's. The auction house contacted him and conducted its own verification process, using photo-matching to...