SPORTS LEGENDS ANNOUNCED LEBRON JAMES’ SPORTS ILLUSTRATED “THE CHOSEN ONE” MAGAZINE COVER PHOTO MATCHED HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL JERSEY LEADS ALL-STAR TWO-DAY SPORTS AUCTION EVENT OF THE SEASON
Rare Michael Jordan 1986-1987 Fleer #57 Basketball Rookie Card–One of the Most Sought-After Trading Cards of All-Time Shoots for the Auction Podium
A Collection of Diego Maradona’s Worn and Signed F.C. Barcelona Boots, First Goal for Argentina Worn Soccer Jersey and 1990 World Cup Match Jersey to Score
Sports Illustrated magazine photographer credit: Michael J. LeBrecht II/LEBRECHTMEDIA
Colin Kaepernick’s Game Worn and Signed #10 University of Nevada Jersey, Kobe Bryant’s Limited-Edition Signed NBA Champions Jerseys, Tiger Woods’ Used and Signed Golf Glove, First Ever World Cup Game Ball from 1930, Plus, Game-Winning Items from Rafael Nadal, Derek Jeter, Babe Ruth, 1984 Olympics and More Among Illustrious Sports History Artifacts
SATURDAY, JULY 17TH AND SUNDAY, JULY 18TH, 2021
Los Angeles, California – (Wednesday, May 5th, 2021) – Julien’s Auctions announced today the all-star lineup of
SPORTS LEGENDS, the world-record breaking auction house to the stars’ sports extravaganza, taking place
Saturday, July 17th and Sunday, July 18th, 2021, live in Beverly Hills and online at
juliensauctions.com.
Over 500 historic sports collectibles from the wide worlds of basketball, soccer, baseball, hockey, football, tennis, golf, the Olympics and beyond will be up for auction featuring rare and valuable game-winning jerseys, shirts, trophies, medals, trading cards, sports equipment and other memorabilia. Among the league of champions headlining the event include LeBron James, Rafael Nadal, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Colin Kaepernick, Diego Maradona, Tiger Woods, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Babe Ruth, and more.
Heading the starting lineup of marquee items is LeBron James’ St. Vincent – St. Mary’s high school jersey (photo right) which he wore for his iconic Sports Illustrated “The Chosen One” cover of the February 18th, 2002 issue (estimate: $400,000 - $600,000), which accompanies the lot. Consigned by investor Mark Pepitone from his world record-breaking collection, this photo-matched jersey was worn both for the historic photo shoot and the high school game that same evening where James scored 32 points and collected seven rebounds. The most watched and famous precollege prospect to ever play the game, James wore this very jersey when he was introduced to the sporting world by gracing his very first cover of Sports Illustrated. He went directly from high school to become the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, won four NBA titles, four league MVP’s, garnered 17 All-Star selections and is arguably the greatest player of all-time.
One of the most sought-after modern trading cards of all time will appear in the sale of Michael Jordan’s 1986-1987 Fleer #57 Basketball Rookie Card, BGS Mint 9 (estimate: $40,000 - $60,000). 
Pictured on the card (photo left) is the legendary basketball superstar at his best, gliding over defenders for a jam with his tongue out. The 14-time All-Star and five-time MVP legend and Basketball Hall of Famer, who was named the greatest North American athlete of the 20th century by ESPN’s “SportsCentury’s” distinguished 48-member panel, led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships and won the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award in each of those championships. Limited Edition jerseys worn by Kobe Bryant, the late basketball legend and 18-time All-Star, who won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, will be offered such as a framed Kobe Bryant signed jersey, one of only eight made, listing some of Bryant’s career accomplishments prior to changing his number to 24 before the 2007 season and a framed (78 out of 88 made) Kobe Bean Bryant signed 2000 NBA Champions jersey, along with the iconic photo of Bryant’s reverse jam taken from above the rim, accompanied by a 1997-1998 Metal Universe #81 Kobe Bryant trading card and two separate Los Angeles 2000 Champions pins (both lots each estimate: $6,000 - $8,000).
Considered one of the greatest players of the game, a collection of treasures from Diego Maradona’s spectacular career and legacy is expected to be one of the highly anticipated moments of the auction. Signed and game worn jerseys, worn by “El Pibe de Oro” (“The Golden Boy”) including the 1990 World Cup match against Brazil (estimate: $40,000 - $60,000) and the game where he scored his first ever goal for Argentina (estimate: $10,000 - $20,000), 
as well as his signed and worn boots for F.C. Barcelona during their historic 1983-1984 season (estimate: $40,000 - $60,000) will go for the goal (photo right). The Argentine soccer icon, who passed away on November 25, 2020 in Argentina at the age of 60 years old, is widely remembered for the ‘Hand of God’ goal of the century that led Argentina to victory over England in the 1986 World Cup tournament, as well as his many other FIFA victories for the Argentina National Team. Other historic soccer items include the very first ball used at the first World Cup in 1930 (estimate: $20,000 - $30,000), in a match between Uruguay and Peru and a 1994 World Cup gold medal awarded to a member of the Brazil national football team (estimate: $50,000 - $75,000).
Other sensational highlights include (with starting estimates): Colin Kaepernick’s game worn #10 University of Nevada 2008 season jersey ($30,000 - $50,000) (photo left) signed in the summer of 2010 ahead of the greatest season in Wolf Pack history where the former NFL quarterback and social justice activist and cultural figure led his team to a 13-1 record, beating #5 Boise State in his final home game. Kaepernick is the only college football player in Division 1 history to throw for over 10,000 yards and rush for over 4,000 yards;
New York Yankee baseball lore including a home jersey game worn by the Bronx Bombers’ legendary shortstop Derek Jeter on July 28th, 2013, at Yankee Stadium in a game against the Tampa Bay Rays where the injury plagued Jeter hit his first home run of the 2013 season during the first inning of the game ($10,000 - $20,000), 
a home jersey game worn by legendary Yankees closer Mariano Rivera during their storied 1996 season, Rivera’s second season in Major League Baseball, which would culminate with Rivera and his Yankees teammates winning the World Series–the first of five career World Series victories for Rivera ($10,000 - $20,000), and a menu from the Ford Luncheon held at the Jefferson Davis Hotel on Friday, July 25th, 1947, signed by “The Bambino” himself , Yankee giant, Babe Ruth ($10,000 - $20,000) (photo right);
a unique piece of Olympics history – the 1984 Olympic Light Heavyweight Gold Medal ($10,000 - $20,000) awarded to Yugoslavian boxer Anton Josipović following the controversial disqualification of American boxer Evander Holyfield by the Yugoslavian referee during his semi-final bout; 
tennis great Rafael Nadal’s signed jersey and headband worn throughout the 2019 Australian Open, including in the final against Novak Djokovic ($4,000 - $6,000); golf legend Tiger Woods’ signed golf glove that was donated to a celebrity auction benefitting St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital in 1999 ($4,000 - $6,000) (photo left) and more.