NBA
LeBron James’ Heat jersey from Game 7 of 2013 NBA Finals sells for $3.7M at auction
James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.
All posts by James FoglioUpdated27 Jan 2023
On Friday, LeBron James’ Miami Heat jersey from Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals sold for $3.68 million at Sotheby’s, a British-founded auction house with headquarters in New York City. This is James’ highest-selling game-worn jersey to date.
The 19-time All-Star’s No. 6 Heat jersey is the third-most valuable game-worn jersey ever sold at Sotheby’s. It was purchased by a private collector, per TMZ Sports.
“Today’s tremendous result comes at a pivotal time in LeBron James’ career, where he is in arm’s reach of clenching the all-time points record, one of the NBA’s most revered accolades,” Sotheby’s officials said in a statement.
Based on a few NBA betting sites, LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers possess 10th-best odds to win the championship. Check out which sportsbooks are giving the Denver Nuggets and Memphis Grizzlies greater odds.
It was a record-breaking day #SothebysNewYork!
LeBron James' game-worn jersey achieved $3.7M, breaking the previous record for a jersey of the athlete's by more than 5x.
Our Princess Diana Gown reached $604k, sealing its fate as the most valuable dress ever sold at auction. pic.twitter.com/qMTNBw26HP
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) January 27, 2023
Furthermore, on June 20, 2013, LeBron James won his second championship and Finals MVP in Game 7 of Miami’s 99-88 win over the San Antonio Spurs of the 2013 NBA Finals. Unlike previous misleading descriptions, this is the same exact Adidas 2XL game-worn jersey.
“The jersey is in excellent condition consistent with use,” the description reads on the Sotheby’s website. In his Game 7 pregame press conference, James said, “There’s so much excitement around tonight. So, not much sleep.
“You know, a lot of thoughts going through the mind. That’s what I’m here for, to win championships. I’ve got a great opportunity tonight.”
LeBron James’ game-worn Heat jersey from Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals sells for $3.7M at Sotheby’s
LeBron James ended his Game 7 performance with 37 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 45 minutes of action. He also capped off his outing 12-of-23 (52.2%) shooting from the floor, 5-of-10 (50%) beyond the arc, and a perfect 8-of-8 (100%) at the foul line.
Additionally, this jersey is special since it’s James’ first Game 7 jersey of his career, and the future Hall of Famer logged the most points by a player in a Game 7 victory in NBA Finals history.
“I’m LeBron James from Akron, Ohio, from the inner city,” said the then-28-year-old. “I’m not even supposed to be here. That’s enough. Every time I walk into the locker room, I see a No. 6 with ‘James’ on the back. I’m blessed. So, what everybody say about me off the court don’t matter. I ain’t got no words.”
Moreover, in 76 starts of the 2012-13 season, James averaged 26.8 points, 8.0 boards, 7.3 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Plus, he shot a then-career-high 56.5% from the field and a career-best 40.6% outside the arc.
