This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 8/12/2011.
This lot is nothing short of phenomenal. It consists of twelve pair of sneakers that come to us from the personal collection of Mike Smrek, a player on the back-to-back “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers World Championship teams of 1986-87 and 1987-88. As told to us by Smrek, “In the locker room following the 1988 final game in which we won the second of the back-to-back Championships, each player signed and gave me their shoes. In those days, players wore their shoes for more than one game. These sneakers were worn in the Championship game and some probably through most of the series”. He went on to add “the discoloration on some of the laces is actually from the champagne soaking them in the locker room following the victory”. This Championship Lakers team sneaker collection features twelve pair of sneakers in total and are as follows: Magic Johnson, Converse “ERX-400” high tops, white with purple and yellow trim, each signed in black marker rating a 7-8, featuring champagne stained laces; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, white Adidas with purple trim with one signed “Kareem” in blue ink rating a 7 with excellent game-use (Mike Smrek informed us “Kareem’s shoes were probably worn through the entire playoffs as he did not change shoes often”); Michael Cooper, white Asics high tops with purple and gold trim, right shoe signed and inscribed “To The Diesel” (Smrek’s nickname, only within the team); James Worthy, white New Balance high tops with purple and gold trim, each signed in black ink that has faded slightly featuring champagne stained laces; Byron Scott, Reebok high tops, white with purple and gold trim, each signed in blue ink rating an 8, it appears that Byron Scott's came from his locker and were not worn in this game; AC Green, white Nike high tops with purple trim, both are signed but the right shoe is quite unique as its signed “Cheese” Green, a nick name only used by his teammates, the heel of the left shoe is separated from the sole, excellent use; Mychal Thompson, LA Gear, white with purple and gold trim signed in blue ink rating an 8; Kurt Rambis, Asics high tops, white with purple and gold trim, each signed in blue ink rating a 7-8; Wes Matthews, white Converse with purple trim, each signed in blue ink rating a 7; Milt Wagner, Nike white high tops with purple trim, each signed in blue ink rating a 7; Tony Campbell, Reebok white high tops with purple trim, each signed in blue ink rating an 8, inscribed “88”; Mike Smrek, white Nike high tops with purple trim, each signed in black ink rating a 7. This collection of sneakers is undoubtedly one of a kind and represents an unforgettable and historic moment in basketball history. The sneakers are accompanied by a LOA from Mike Smrek as well as a LOA from JSA. Incredible doesn’t even come close.