Gotta Have Sports Auction Fall 2021

Lot #7:

LeBron James Game Worn High School Jersey

LeBron James was the most heralded high school basketball player in the history of the sport. When he announced his intentions to bypass college and go straight to the N.B.A., he was anointed the next savior of the league. These were lofty expectations and a heavy burden for a kid who had yet to attend his senior prom. James is one of the few teenage phenoms who has actually lived up to the hype. In just three seasons in the NBA, James has established himself as not only one of the game's greatest athletic talents, but a team leader with wisdom well beyond his years. This example of Lebron's high school jersey dates to 2001-2002. Most of the LeBron high school jerseys in the marketplace were manufactured by Adidas, who stepped in and sponsored the team once James' exploits were being recounted nightly on Sportscenter. What most do not know, is that St. Vincent/St. Mary's only donned the Adidas duds when they were playing on television. For all their other games, they wore jerseys from On Sports. While most of the games from James' senior year were broadcast, several nationally on ESPN, his junior year saw only a few televised contests. As a result, this jersey was worn many more times than the Adidas jerseys that surface occasionally, as evidenced by softness and thread wear on the neck and underarm seams, as well numeral wavering and puckering that would indicate this specimen was Lebron's regular game jersey, with the Adidas versions being special occasion models. Already among the N.B.A. elite, we can only speculate as to the heights young Lebron will ascend to before his career is over. The sky is the limit for James, and we feel the same is true for this jersey. Comes with a Gotta Have Rock & Roll Certificate of Authenticity.