The Gotta Have Sports 2022 Summer Auction

Lot #31:

LeBron James High School Game Worn Jersey & Shorts

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 his 19 seasons in the NBA, James has established himself as one of the greatest NBA players of all time. This example of Lebron's high school jersey and shorts dates to 2001-2002. It is almost unheard of to get a complete outfit, making this an incredible opportunity. 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. Comes from a friend of LeBron's in Akron who played with him when they were young. Comes with a letter of provenance and a Gotta Have Rock & Roll Certificate of Authenticity.