This undated photo provided by Sotheby’s shows a warmup jacket worn by Wilt Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals that was found in an Oregon thrift store.
(Image Credit: Sotheby’s)
Teen's $3 Goodwill Find Turns Into an $89,600 Sports Memorabilia Jackpot
Talk about the ultimate thrift store score.
A teenager who paid just $3.07 for a vintage Los Angeles Lakers jacket at an Oregon Goodwill has turned that bargain into an $89,600 payday after discovering it once belonged to NBA legend Wilt Chamberlain.
From Goodwill Bin to Auction Block
Quinn Brown, who makes extra money by reselling thrifted clothing online, was browsing through a large clothing bin at a Goodwill store outside Portland when another shopper tossed a yellow Lakers warmup jacket back onto the pile.
Brown grabbed it, noticing that it had Chamberlain's name on it. At first, he couldn't believe what he had found.
"I didn't even think that finding something like this was possible," Brown said. "I got very, very lucky."
Authenticating an Incredible Find
Once he got home, Brown began researching the jacket online.
He found photos of Wilt Chamberlain wearing what appeared to be the exact same jacket during the 1972 NBA Finals. After comparing the stitching on the Lakers patch and checking the measurements against other game-worn Chamberlain memorabilia, everything seemed to line up.
Still skeptical, Brown posted photos of the jacket on social media.
That's when Sotheby's reached out.
The famed auction house authenticated the jacket through a detailed photo-matching process, confirming it was the same short-sleeved yellow warmup worn by Chamberlain during the 1972 NBA Finals, when the Lakers defeated the New York Knicks and Chamberlain earned Finals MVP honors.
A Piece of NBA History
Sotheby's described the jacket as an "extraordinary piece of memorabilia," noting that authentic, photo-matched game-worn items from Chamberlain are becoming increasingly rare.
Although Sotheby's initially estimated the jacket would sell for between $150,000 and $250,000, competitive bidding still pushed the final price to an impressive $89,600 after 48 bids.
For Brown, it was by far the biggest sale of his reselling career. Before this, his most valuable flip was a vintage Sub Pop Records T-shirt that sold for just $250.
Wilt Chamberlain's Lasting Legacy
Wilt Chamberlain remains one of basketball's greatest players. During his legendary NBA career from 1959 to 1973, he won championships with both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers and famously scored 100 points in a single game in 1962—a record that still stands today.
His memorabilia continues to command huge prices. In 2023, a game-worn Chamberlain jersey from the same 1972 Finals sold at Sotheby's for $4.9 million, making it one of the most expensive NBA jerseys ever auctioned.
One Lucky Thrift Store Visit
Stories about hidden treasures at thrift stores are usually the stuff of internet legends—but this one is very real.
For just $3.07, Quinn Brown uncovered a genuine piece of NBA history and turned it into nearly $90,000, proving that sometimes the next great collectible really is hiding in the bargain bin.
