After a one-year hiatus, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Auction has returned with new partner SCP Auctions now handling the annual event. The auction is now an online only affair that tips off Wednesday, August 3, and runs through Saturday, August 20, at www.scpauctions.com.
In late 2014, the Hall severed ties with Grey Flannel Auctions, which had been conducting the sale with the Springfield, MA shrine for several years. Last summer, the Hall announced SCP Auctions as its new “official auction and appraisal partner.”
The inaugural event will feature more than 300 lots of basketball memorabilia from Hall of Famers including the late Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Bob Cousy, Julius Erving and Larry Bird, as well as the personal collection of Ann Meyers Drysdale, the only female player ever to sign a free agent contract with an NBA team, the Indiana Pacers.
A portion of the proceeds from the inaugural SCP Auctions basketball-themed auction will go toward benefitting the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Additionally, SCP Auctions
will serve as a Premier Sponsor for the Class of 2016 Enshrinement festivities, as well as the presenting partner of the Family Reunion and Awards Dinner during Enshrinement weekend on September 8.
“SCP Auctions is very excited about hosting our Inaugural Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame online auction,” said David Kohler, president of SCP Auctions. “As one of the country’s premier sports memorabilia auction houses, we have secured hundreds of incredible basketball pieces that will be going up for bid from many of the sport’s greatest legends.”
Besides Ann Meyers Drysdale’s entire personal memorabilia collection, which includes her 1993 Hall of Fame plaque, the auction boasts multiple pieces chronicling the career of Chamberlain including as his 1959-60 NBA Player of the Year Trophy; a ticket stub and program from his record-setting 100-point game at the Hershey (PA) Sports Arena as a member of the Philadelphia Warriors in 1962 and his 1971-72 L.A. Lakers game-worn, championship season warm-up jacket.
Dozens of game-worn uniforms and shoes from retired legends including Dr. J, Bird and Michael Jordan, as well as from current superstars including LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Dwyane Wade will also be up for grabs.
“We are thrilled with our new partnership with SCP Auctions led by David Kohler and we are excited to have them host their first Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame auction,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “There is no doubt they are the trusted leader in the industry and we appreciate the quality and expertise they bring to our organization in this very meaningful authentic product marketplace.”
The Hall of Fame Class of 2016 includes Chicago Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, early African-American pioneer of the game Cumberland Posey, 27-year NBA referee Darell Garretson, three-time ABA All-Star Zelmo Beaty, eight-time NBA All-Star Yao Ming, 11-time NBA All-Star Allen Iverson, four-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal, six-time WNBA All-Star Sheryl Swoopes, three-time NAIA National Championship coach John McLendon, and two-time NABA Coach of the Year Tom Izzo, who has led Michigan State to seven Final Four appearances.
For event details and Enshrinement ticket information, visit www.hoophall.com.
