Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant's 1st NBA Jerseys Expected to Sell for Up to $20M Combined

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant are two of the most iconic players in NBA history, and fans will now have the opportunity to own pieces of history dating back to their respective rookie seasons.

Sotheby's announced Thursday it will offer the first jerseys Jordan and Bryant wore in their careers via auction.

The game-worn jerseys will be featured in two standalone single-lot sales during the Spring and are expected to sell for more than $20 million combined.

The Jordan jersey is the one His Airness wore during his debut on Oct. 5, 1984, during a preseason game at the Peoria Civic Center. It was a repurposed jersey and has stains that seem to be from previous players' names and numbers.

It will be offered at auction from March 12-26, while the Bryant one will be offered from April 10-24.

Bryant's was photo-matched to his NBA Media Day appearance as a rookie, preseason debut on Oct. 16, 1996, and regular-season debut on Nov. 3, 1996. The auction will also feature Black Mamba's matching shorts.

It is notable Sotheby's is announcing these rare jerseys together, as Bryant famously idolized Jordan and even emulated much of his game early in his career on the Chicago Bulls' legend. Jordan also called Bryant his "little brother" while speaking at the memorial service for the Los Angeles Lakers icon.

Bryant may have drawn inspiration from Jordan's game, but he quickly carved out his own legacy and built a resume that included five championships, two NBA Finals MVPs, one league MVP, two scoring titles, 18 All-Star nods, 15 All-NBA selections, 12 All-Defensive selections and a spot in the Hall of Fame.

He was largely a secondary contributor during his rookie season when he wore this jersey that will be up for sale, which wasn't surprising considering he entered the draft right out of high school.

However, he was an All-Star by his second season and became one of the faces of the league throughout his illustrious career.

As for Jordan, he wasted no time making his presence felt during his rookie season when he wore this jersey. The 1984-85 Rookie of the Year averaged 28.2 points per game and set the tone for what would become arguably the greatest career in NBA history.

His list of accomplishments includes six championships, six NBA Finals MVPs, five league MVPs, 10 scoring titles, a Defensive Player of the Year, 14 All-Star Game selections, 11 All-NBA nods, nine All-Defensive selections and, of course, a spot in the Hall of Fame.

And the jersey that started it all will soon be available for the highest bidder.