A jersey that LeBron James wore in the first half of Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals was sold for $3.7 million at an auction on Friday.
The 2013 NBA Finals will live long in the memory of basketball fans. It was a back-and-forth series between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs and had one of the most iconic moments in the history of the league.
That moment was, of course, Ray Allen's 3-pointer in the closing stages of Game 6, and it tends to overshadow what happened in that decisive Game 7. It was a LeBron James masterclass, as he finished with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists as the Heat won 95-88. Now, LeBron's game-worn jersey from that night has been sold for $3.7 million at Sotheby's.
via ESPN:
"A jersey worn by LeBron James during the first half of Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals sold at auction for $3.7 million Friday, becoming the third-most expensive game-worn jersey ever sold at Sotheby's."
"It is the most a game-worn James jersey has ever fetched at Sotheby's but ranks behind Michael Jordan's "Last Dance" NBA Finals jersey ($10.91 million) and Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" jersey ($9.28 million)."
There's no shame in coming third behind Michael Jordan and Diego Maradona. The championship in 2013 meant that LeBron and the Heat won back-to-back titles as James further cemented himself as the best player in the NBA at the time. He had taken over that mantle from Kobe Bryant a few years earlier, and it would appear one of Kobe's jerseys is going up for auction as well.
"It won't be long until another likely record-breaker comes out of Sotheby's. Just after the third anniversary of his death, on Feb. 1, a jersey Kobe Bryant wore in 25 games (including six playoff games) during his lone NBA MVP season in 2007-08 opens for auction. It's expected to fetch anywhere from $5 million to $7 million."
Any Kobe memorabilia is expected to fetch a pretty penny at this point, so it shouldn't be a surprise that the expected price is that high. Bryant's third death anniversary just passed, and it still feels strange to think that he is no longer with us. He touched so many lives and will continue to live on in their hearts and minds.
Stephen A. Smith Calls LeBron James The Second-Greatest Player Of All Time
Getting back to LeBron, he is on the cusp of arguably his greatest accomplishment, as he is set to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history next month. James has been rapidly closing in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and LeBron's jersey from the day he breaks the record might one day fetch a record fee at some auction.
LeBron's exploits have intensified the GOAT debate, and there are many who believe he is now the greatest. Stephen A. Smith, though, recently stated that Jordan is still greater than LeBron, but he said the latter is the second-greatest player ever. These debates will rage on till the end of time, but for now, all we should do is appreciate the fact that we get to witness greatness on a nightly basis.
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