Kareem Abdul-Jabbar NBA memorabilia auction nets $3M for charity
An auction of memorabilia from throughout NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s Hall of Fame career generated proceeds of nearly $3 million on Sunday, most of which will be donated to charity.
Abdul-Jabbar put 234 items from his playing career on the block through Goldin Auctions, ranging from several of his NBA championship rings to an array of trophies and certificates. The entire collection netted more than $2.9 million, with Abdul-Jabbar’s 1987 championship ring alone generating a bid of nearly $400,000, according to ESPN.
In a blog post explaining the auction, Abdul-Jabbar said he plans to donate “much” of the proceeds to his Skyhook Foundation, a charity that hosts summer camps for children from economically challenged schools who want to learn about science, technology and engineering.
“When it comes to choosing between storing a championship ring or trophy in a room, or providing kids with an opportunity to change their lives, the choice is pretty simple. Sell it all,” he wrote. “Looking back on what I have done with my life, instead of gazing at the sparkle of jewels or gold plating celebrating something I did a long time ago, I’d rather look into the delighted face of a child holding their first caterpillar and think about what I might be doing for their future.”
Other items that fetched high prices at the auction included a signed basketball from Abdul-Jabbar’s final NBA game, which sold for more than $270,000, as well three of his Most Valuable Player trophies, each of which sold for six figures.
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A six-time NBA champion and 19-time All-Star, Abdul-Jabbar retired as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.