This lot is closed. Bidding ended on 5/26/2016.
The first United States men’s Olympic basketball team to feature NBA players left their mark on sports history, putting themselves atop the discussion on the best sports team to have ever been assembled. The 1992 USA “Dream Team” was named “the greatest collection of basketball talent on the planet” by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as they dominated the competition with a 44-point average margin of victory. This jersey is from the undefeated (6-0) USA Basketball championship team worn in the pre-Olympic Tournament of the Americas held in Portland just weeks prior to the Barcelona Games. The tournament gave the world its first glimpse of what kind of mischief the vaunted "Dream Team" might be up to, starting with a 136-57 thrashing of Cuba in the first round to the championship final 127-80 win over Venezuela. Chris Mullin, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011, averaged 14.3 points during the six-game stint in Barcelona, Spain and had his No. 17 jersey retired by the Golden State Warriors. On the front left tail is a “Champion” size “44” manufacturer’s tag with washing instructions. Adjacent is another “Champion” tag that reads, “DESIGNED AND TAILORED EXCLUSIVELY FOR: 1992 BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT OF THE AMERICAS”. On the left inseam are two tags that read, “100% POLYESTER” and “3” EXTRA BODY LENGTH” respectively. On the left chest is a Champion logo embroidered and across the chest reads, “USA BASKETBALL”. The player number “13” appears on both the front and on the back. These are both screen-printed in red and navy blue. Across the back reads the player name “MULLIN” screen-printed in red only. On the inside of the rear waistline of the shorts is a “Champion” size “36” manufacturer’s tag with washing instructions. On the inseam is a “100% POLYESTER” tag with the number “13” written on it in black pen. There are two other tags that read, “1 INCH EXTRA RISE” and “1 INCH EXTRA INSEAM” respectively. On the left hip area is an embroidered Champion logo. On each side of the shorts reads, “USA BASKETBALL” screen-printed in red and white. Mullin signed the jersey in two places with blue pen—adjacent to the front player number “1” and in the left thigh area of the shorts—and in our opinion, rates a 9 overall. This uniform is properly tagged, was presented to us as game-used in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and in our opinion, shows appropriate use. Accompanied by a full JSA LOA as well as two letters (jersey and shorts) on Animal Rescue Foundation letterhead, a foundation started by Tony La Russa. The two letters are signed by both La Russa and Mullin attesting to the legitimacy of the uniform, stating that this uniform was “Chris Mullin’s personal “Dream Team Uniform” worn by Chris in an Olympic game at Barcelona, Spain” and was personally signed by Mullin.
Please note that a correction and/or update has been made to this lot and the printed catalog differs from what is online.