With the 2025-26 NBA season past the halfway mark, Dallas Mavericks' superstar rookie Cooper Flagg is not only dominating on the court, but his commercial value has also soared to historic heights.

Sotheby's officially announced on Thursday that Flagg's NBA debut jersey has been sold for a record-breaking $1 million through a private transaction, setting a new record for the highest price ever paid for a piece from Flagg's personal collection and breaking the previous record for the highest price ever paid for an NBA rookie's debut jersey, previously held by Wambanyama.

Currently, this 19-year-old rising star is averaging 20.4 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. Although he is currently sidelined due to a midfoot sprain, he previously scored 49 points, breaking the single-game scoring record for a junior player and becoming the youngest member of the NBA's 40-point club.

The head of Sotheby's Modern Collectibles department pointed out that the million-dollar sale price reflects collectors' fervent pursuit of the "earliest moments" in sports history. Compared to the Summer League jersey that sold for only $95,000 last August, the value of this regular season debut jersey has skyrocketed.

Following the Flagg trade, Sotheby's is launching its "Rookie Debut Auction" week, with jerseys for the new generation of elite rookies, including VJ Edgecombe and Connaught Knipper, up for auction.

In the rebuilding phase following Luka Doncic's departure, Flagler is rapidly becoming a box office draw for the Mavericks and even the entire league. This million-dollar jersey is not just a collectible, but also an expensive footnote to the basketball world's dawn of a new era of dominance.

Image source: Internet/BBC official website