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Wilt Chamberlain Lakers Jersey from 1972 NBA Finals Sells for Record $4.9 Million
The Los Angeles Lakers’ Wilt Chamberlain 1972 NBA Finals jersey, worn during the team’s inaugural championship victory in Los Angeles, recently commanded an astounding $4.9 million at Sotheby’s New York. This historic sale now positions it as the third most valuable publicly sold NBA jersey.
This iconic gold jersey, adorned with the number 13, is the first-ever Chamberlain championship jersey to grace an auction. Only two other NBA jerseys have surpassed their sale price: Michael Jordan’s 1998 NBA Finals jersey, which fetched a staggering $10.1 million, and Kobe Bryant’s 2007 MVP season jersey, selling for an impressive $5.8 million.
Notably, it also set a new record for the highest price ever achieved for a vintage (pre-1980) game-worn NBA item. The prior record was held by Chamberlain’s rookie-season jersey with the Philadelphia Warriors, which sold for $1.79 million in June 2023.
Brahms Watcher, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, expressed the historical significance of this jersey, as it not only adorned the player considered by many to be the greatest in basketball history but also hailed from one of the most esteemed franchises in sports history, marking an exceptional piece of Los Angeles heritage.
The 1971-72 season itself was a remarkable chapter in NBA history. The Lakers achieved an astonishing 33-game winning streak, which remains unmatched in the NBA annals. Wilt Chamberlain played a pivotal role in the team’s success.
On May 7, 1972, during Game 5 of the 1972 NBA Finals, Chamberlain donned this jersey while delivering an impressive double-double performance with 24 points and 29 rebounds. What made this feat even more remarkable was that Chamberlain played through the pain of a broken hand sustained in the preceding game.
While the Lakers had secured five championships during their Minnesota years, the 1972 victory marked their first championship as the Los Angeles Lakers.
During Game 5 of the finals against the Knicks, Chamberlain tantalizingly approached a quadruple-double, amassing 24 points, 29 rebounds, eight blocks, and eight assists over 47 minutes on the court. The Lakers triumphed in that pivotal game, with a score of 114-100, clinching the championship in front of their home crowd. As expected, Chamberlain was named the Finals MVP.
Wilt Chamberlain, often referred to as “The Big Dipper,” enjoyed a storied 14-season career as an NBA center, securing his legacy as one of the sport’s all-time greats. His retirement came with a remarkable list of accomplishments, including 13 NBA All-Star selections, four MVP awards, and two NBA championships. Chamberlain’s name also adorned the record books with 31,419 total points and 23,924 career rebounds, a record that still stands to this day.
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