“How a $40 Contract Set Wilt Chamberlain on the Path to Legend Status!”
Wilt Chamberlain is right up there with the greatest big men the Los Angeles Lakers have ever had in their history. Even though Chamberlain was a member of the team that won the franchise’s first title in Los Angeles in 1972, he only played for the team for the last five seasons of his career.
After averaging 19.4 points and 23.2 rebounds in the Lakers’ five-game series victory over the New York Knicks, Chamberlain was really awarded NBA Finals MVP. With a final-game total of 24 points and 29 rebounds, Chamberlain enabled the Lakers to win the championship.
And now, the jersey he wore in that competition is going up for auction, with a high price tag anticipated. Because of Chamberlain’s and the Lakers’ overall prominence, the jersey is anticipated to fetch more than $4 million at the forthcoming auction, according to the Associated Press:
Along with a collection of materials including periodicals, newspapers, photos, trading cards, and other memorabilia, the jersey will be up for sale. It will be available for public viewing from August 2-31 at Sotheby’s Los Angeles gallery, and online bidding will be open from August 28 to September 27.
It is anticipated to smash the previous record for a piece of memorabilia signed by Chamberlain. That record belonged to a rookie jersey that Chamberlain wore while he was a member of the Philadelphia Warriors, which brought in $1.79 million.
Long after Chamberlain passed away in 1999, his aura of mystery persisted. With his historic 100-point performance in 1962, the two-time NBA Champion and four-time MVP still owns the record for most points in a game.
