Sports legends are making quite the impression in auction as an NBA Finals jersey — worn by Wilt Chamberlain in 1972 — has sold for $4.9 million at Sotheby’s New York, per CBS Sports.
The auction house states the 13-time All-Star had worn the jersey while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers with an injured hand during the championship series. Nonetheless, he played a significant role in the Lakers victory, leading to their first championship and his only NBA Finals MVP award. This was Chamberlain’s second and final ring of his career.
Chamberlain’s dominance is no surprise. He had a 100-point performance in the 1961-1962 NBA season and averaged 50.4 points per game, per Bleacher Report. There has not been an NBA player to top the feat yet.
What’s more, he also has the most points earned during a single NBA season (4,029) and has four of the top five points-per-game, per Sotheby’s.
“The 13-time All-Star, and 4-time MVP was a force to be reckoned with in the NBA, and his legacy continues to this day,” the auction house wrote.
Chamberlain’s imprint on the game contributed to the competitive sale of his 1972 Los Angeles Lakers jersey at Sotheby’s.
This also marks the third highest NBA jersey sold publicly, per CBS Sports.
“This jersey holds an extraordinarily significant place in the history of Los Angeles, not only adorned by the man many consider to be the greatest player ever to step on the court, but as a relic from one of the greatest franchises in sports history,” Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles Brahms Watcher said in a statement, according to CBS Sports.
