Wilt Chamberlain’s jersey from first L.A. Lakers championship team is for sale
Wilt Chamberlain wore it during Game 5 of the 1972 NBA Finals, the night the Lakers clinched their first championship since moving to Los Angeles.
He wore it during Game 2 of the same Finals series against the New York Knicks, as well Game 2 of the Western Conference finals that year against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Milwaukee Bucks.
He wore it at least twice on the cover of “Sports Illustrated,” including the May 15, 1972 issue featuring the headline, “Los Angeles Champions at Last!”
Everything about Wilt Chamberlain was extraordinary, from his incredible scoring and rebounding records to his impact on the NBA.
And now you can wear the No. 13 Lakers jersey that Chamberlain wore on all those historic occasions anytime you want.
For roughly $4 million, that is.
That’s how much collectibles broker Sotheby’s expects Chamberlain’s jersey to sell for when it goes up for auction online from Aug. 28 to Sept. 27.
Sure, it’s a bit pricey. The most anyone has paid for Chamberlain memorabilia is $1.79 million. That’s how much his Philadelphia Warriors rookie jersey went for in an auction last summer.
But just think — you can wear this jersey and pretend it was you who played through the pain of a broken bone in your hand while registering 24 points and 29 rebounds in the Lakers’ title-clinching win over the Knicks on May 7, 1972.
Or pretend it was you who won your second NBA title and only Finals MVP award that night.
Or pretend you’re a 7-foot-1, 275-pound basketball legend who helped the Lakers win an NBA-record 33 consecutive games during that 1971-72 season.
For 65 days and 33 games, the Los Angeles Lakers were unbeatable during the 1971-72 season. Here’s a look back at the winning streak 50 years later.
But chances are you won’t do any of that.
“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,” said Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles.
The auction house will have the jersey on display at its Beverley Hills gallery, starting Wednesday through Aug. 31.
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