LeBron James played the 2020 All-Star game with a chip on his shoulder, a heavy heart, and a different number on his back.
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LeBron James may be called King James, but he should be called King Midas instead. James is a highly marketable athlete – anything he touches turns to gold. Game-worn jerseys of him have not hit the open market that often, but when they do, they cause quite the stir.
The first time LeBron ever wore a jersey that did not have the numbers 6 or 23 was the 2020 All-Star Game in Chicago. It was for a noble cause because the whole weekend was dedicated to Kobe Bryant and his untimely passing along with the victims of the helicopter crash. He wore the number as an ode to Gigi because she wore the number 2 when she played.
That was the first game to have a different format, one that was tightly contested and the most serious All-Star game in a while. Bron scored a coincidental 23 points, leading his team to a 157-153 win. This game-worn jersey was immediately put on auction, where it caused quite the stir. Starting at a bid of 20 dollars, a record 231 bids were made, after which it finally sold for $631k.
All of the proceeds were then donated to the Mamba foundation, as a gesture to honor the late Lakers legend.
LeBron James has had many high-value items on the court – none more valuable than the jersey he puts on
Fans want a piece of memorabilia that is associated with icons like LeBron and Michael Jordan. That is why you see a lot of the fans clamoring at the tunnels and at the seats for anything they might catch. Jerseys are not something that players usually throw out, so auctions like these are the only way one can get one.
And when you want something as precious as one from an All-Star weekend dedicated just to an icon, it is near impossible. The other jersey of Bron that sold at an auction did not cost a house in Texas, but rather just a nice BMW. A small sum to pay for something as iconic as a royalty’s jersey.
