The 2024 NBA Finals are upon us, with the Boston Celtics aiming for a record 18th championship, and the Dallas Mavericks hoping to claim the franchise's second title.
With the Finals taking center stage, cllct began thinking about the best NBA Finals collectibles ever sold.
Here's our cllct 10 list of our favorite pieces of Finals memorabilia sold in past auctions:
1. One worn shoe from every Michael Jordan clinching Finals game: $8 million
This is just a glorious lot featuring one of MJ's Nike shoes from each one of his six clinching NBA Finals games, all of which are autographed by his Airness. The lot included an Air Jordan VI (1991), Air Jordan VII (1992), Air Jordan VIII (1993), Air Jordan XI (1996), Air Jordan XII (1997) and Air Jordan XIV (1998).
The collection of shoes was given to Chicago Bulls public relations man Tim Hallam, who consigned them to Sotheby's in 2024.
2. Magic Johnson game-worn jersey from Game 6 of 1980 Finals: $1.5 million
This is the jersey Magic wore when he played arguably the greatest game of his career ... and one of the most memorable Finals games of all time. With Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out, the rookie played all five positions, scored 42 points and ripped down 15 rebounds to led the Lakers to the title in Philadelphia.
3. Basket and backboard from Jordan's "Last Shot" in Game 6 of 1998 Finals: $41,825
Taken from the Delta Center in Utah, this is the basket where MJ aimed his last shot as a member of the Bulls. It, of course, went through, and Chicago had Title No. 6.
Yes, it's big and not exactly the most liquid item in the world, but it is 100 percent awesome.
4. Wilt Chamberlain's worn jersey from Game 5 of 1972 Finals: $4.9 million
Chamberlain wore this jersey in the clinching game against the New York Knicks. He scored 24 points and had an incredible 29 rebounds — all with a broken hand!
5. Bill Russell's 1957 championship Ring: $701,000
The first ring from his remarkable 11 titles in 13 seasons topped $700k at Hunt Auctions. Russell won so many rings that when he famously posed in a photo with all of them, he had to wear two on one of his pinkies.
6. Michael Jordan game-worn jersey from Game 1 of 1998 Finals: $10.1 million
Good luck acquiring an MJ gamer from the Finals. Jordan's jersey from Game 1 of the "Last Dance" Finals in 1998 topped eight digits and ranks as the most expensive jersey ever sold.
Not only is the jersey not from a clincher, it's from a game Jordan and the Bulls lost. Jordan scored 33 in an overtime loss at Utah, but Chicago rebounded to win the series in six.
7. Game-used basketball, signed by the Boston Celtics from Game 6 of 1981 Finals: $41,825
We have jerseys and rings on the list, so we have to get a game-used basketball. What better than a ball from the first title season for Larry Bird, who scored 27 points in the clinching game against the Houston Rockets.
The ball is signed by all the key members of the Celtics, including Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Cedric Maxwell and Red Auerbach.
8. Kobe Bryant's championship ring from 2000 Finals: $927,000
Bryant gave the ring to his father, Joe, who sold it for $206,080. That buyer recently sold it again for nearly five times the original price.
Player rings don't come up frequently, and this is from the best of the best, even though this series against the Indiana Pacers was truly Shaq's masterpiece.
9. "Here comes Willis Reed" ticket from Game 7 of 1970 Finals: $30,343
Reed, who was out for Game 6 and also expected to miss Game 7, Reed walked into Madison Square Garden during warmups to rousing applause at Madison Square Garden.
Reed forced Chamberlain to miss seven of his first nine shots before he left the game with 3:05 left in the first half and the Knicks up 24. The Knicks, of course, went on to win their first title that night.
Total tickets graded by PSA from this game? Nine.
10. Game-worn and signed Air Jordans from Game 2 of 1998 Finals: $2.2 million
Boosted by the "Last Dance" documentary, which automatically made MJ's last season with the Bulls his most important campaign, these game-worn Air Jordan 13s came from a key Chicago victory in Utah. It was the Bulls first win in Utah in four attempts that season.
The $2.2 million price is the highest price paid for a pair of game-worn sneakers.
Darren Rovell is the founder of cllct.com and one of the country's leading reporters on the collectible market. He previously worked for ESPN, CNBC and The Action Network.