Will Barnes

This yellow SC Rist Wedel jersey was game-worn by American guard Will Barnes during the 2016–17 2. Basketball Bundesliga ProB season. Barnes personally presented the jersey to the founder of PhotoMatchForensics immediately following Rist Wedel’s game on December 11, 2016. The jersey features a lightweight yellow performance-fabric body with dark green trim around the neckline and arm openings and matching green side panels. A tonal geometric design is incorporated into the front and reverse of the fabric. The front displays Barnes’ player number “44” in dark green with a white outline on the upper left chest. The official 2. Basketball Bundesliga patch is positioned on the upper right, with the hashtag “#RISTERSGO” printed below the number. The large “RIST WEDEL” team wordmark extends across the chest, while the Bauzentrum Lüchau and Stadtsparkasse Wedel sponsor logos appear below. The reverse carries the SC Rist Wedel basketball crest beneath the neckline, with “BARNES” displayed across the shoulders and the number “44” positioned below. “SC RIST WEDEL” is applied across the lower back. The manufacturer label identifies the jersey as size XL. Barnes signed and extensively inscribed the front of the jersey. The handwritten inscription reads: “Game Worn Jersey 02-OCT-16 – 11-DEC-16” and records “25 pts + 4 ast vs Rostock 02-OCT-16,” followed by Barnes’ signature and player number “#44.” The inscription documents the period during which the jersey was worn and identifies Barnes’ 25-point, four-assist performance against the Rostock Seawolves on October 2, 2016. Its game-worn status is further supported by the jersey’s direct chain of custody: Barnes personally transferred it to the PhotoMatchForensics founder immediately after the December 11, 2016 game. The combination of direct player acquisition, contemporaneous signature, detailed game-worn inscription and identifiable performance information provides strong first-person provenance supporting the jersey’s classification as an authentic Will Barnes game-worn SC Rist Wedel jersey.

The 2016–17 season marked Will Barnes’ return to competitive basketball following a knee injury and subsequent surgery that had kept him out of action throughout the previous campaign. Barnes joined SC Rist Wedel ahead of the 2016–17 season to play in the northern division of Germany’s 2. Basketball Bundesliga ProB. The 1.85-metre American guard was expected to provide experience, scoring and playmaking to a comparatively young Wedel roster coached by Félix Bañobre. On October 2, 2016, Rist Wedel hosted the Rostock Seawolves in the team’s first home game of the season. Wedel produced a dominant performance and defeated Rostock 97–72. Barnes scored 25 points and recorded four assists, establishing himself immediately as one of the team’s leading offensive players. Barnes later documented this performance directly on the jersey with the inscription “25 pts + 4 ast vs Rostock 02-OCT-16.” He also recorded the broader period of use as “Game Worn Jersey 02-OCT-16 – 11-DEC-16,” confirming that the garment was worn during the opening portion of the 2016–17 ProB campaign. The final date in the inscription corresponds with Rist Wedel’s home game against the Herzöge Wolfenbüttel on December 11, 2016. Wedel won the game 83–73. Immediately after the contest, Barnes personally gave the jersey to the founder of PhotoMatchForensics and added his signature and detailed game-worn inscription. This direct post-game transfer created an uninterrupted chain of custody from the player to the present collection. Barnes appeared in 18 ProB games for Rist Wedel during the 2016–17 season. He averaged 11.1 points and 3.8 assists per game, providing leadership and ball-handling during his return from injury. Wedel completed the campaign with a 10–14 record. Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Barnes played college basketball at Tennessee Technological University and later at Lee University. He began his professional career in Germany with the Paderborn Baskets before joining the newly established Hamburg Towers for their inaugural 2014–15 ProA season. Barnes served as a team leader in Hamburg before his knee injury interrupted his playing career. His season with Rist Wedel represented a successful return to professional competition. After leaving Wedel, Barnes continued playing in northern Germany and later became involved in individual player development and youth coaching. This jersey connects several important elements of Barnes’ comeback season: his 25-point performance against Rostock, its documented use between October 2 and December 11, 2016, and its direct presentation by the player after the victory over Wolfenbüttel. The personal inscription and uninterrupted provenance make it a uniquely documented piece from his time with SC Rist Wedel.