The few, select super-achieving basketball players whose careers took them to the pinnacle of hard court accomplishment were honoured at Grey Flannel's Basketball Hall of Fame Induction Auction.
This year's sale brought in $1.48 million - a result the company's owner, Richard E Russek, described as "fantastic, especially considering there were 222 lots in the sale.
"The average lot price was $6,671, and 100 percent of the lots sold." All prices quoted in this report are inclusive of 20% buyer's premium.
Held live at the revered Hall of Fame on Friday afternoon, August 13, the Fifth Annual BHOF Induction Auction featured scrupulously authenticated jerseys, championship rings, signed basketballs and NBA team banners.
Collectors called the shots, with two items of 1960s player apparel topping the roster of prices realised.
Both a personalised 1968-69 Boston Celtics home warm-up jacket worn by Bill Russell during his final season and a 1965-66 Wilt Chamberlain Philadelphia 76ers game-used home jersey scored individual selling prices of $84,000.
The red and white #13 Chamberlain jersey had the added cachet of having been from an MVP and scoring title season, and was a style used for one year only.
A unique and unprecedented selection of 12 personal mementos from the career of slam-dunking phenom and 2010 posthumous Hall of Fame inductee Dennis Johnson was offered by Grey Flannel with impeccable provenance.
 A personalised 1968-69 Boston Celtics home warm-up jacket worn |
Each article was accompanied by a letter of authenticity from the Johnson family, whose members were present for Dennis' 2010 posthumous induction to the Hall of Fame.
Featured in a Boston Globe article prior to the auction, Johnson's 1984 Boston Celtics World Championship player's ring adorned with a diamond-emblazed shamrock motif, the name "Johnston" and other symbols and words associated with the storied franchise soared to $78,000.
Johnson's 1980 Western Conference game-used All-Star uniform attracted a winning bid of $24,000.
Elsewhere, one of the auction's Premier Lots, an autographed circa-1976 Portland Trailblazers home jersey worn by NBA legend Bill Walton, proved the enduring fascination fans have for the 1977-78 MVP they call "the Big Red-head."
Entered in the sale with a reserve of $5,000, the Walton jersey powered its way to a $72,000 selling price.
"Our next sale is scheduled to be held on November 17th, and the leading item consigned so far is the 1961 #6 road jersey that Mickey Mantle began wearing in his spring training - wow!" said Rich Russek.
"Anyone with great sports items is going to want to be part of this great auction, and we invite them to contact us about consigning."
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