Wilt Chamberlain NBA Finals Jersey, Worn Vs. Knicks, Up For Auction

The jersey that Wilt Chamberlain wore in the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA Finals-clinching victory over the New York Knicks in 1972 is expected to go for at least seven figures.

If you have an extra $4 million laying around, the perfect Christmas gift for the Los Angeles Lakers fan in your life could be yours.

Renowned British auction house Sotheby's, which is headquartered in New York City, has listed the Lakers jersey that Wilt Chamberlain wore during the clinching game of the 1972 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. Per a report from the Associated Press, Sotheby's expects the jersey to bring in $4 million, which would set a record for a Chamberlain artifact (breaking the $1.79 million figure a Philadelphia Warriors jersey from his rookie season set earlier this summer).

"This jersey holds an extraordinarily significant place in the history of Los Angeles," Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of streetwear and modern collectibles, said in the AP report. "(It was) not only adorned by the man many consider to be the greatest player ever to step on the court but (it is) a relic from one of the greatest franchises in sports history."

Often regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history, Chamberlain won his second and final championship in his penultimate professional season with the Lakers in 1972. The five-game victory over the Knicks served as revenge for their championship meeting two years prior, which saw New York take home its first title in seven-game fashion. One more get-together in the Finals awaited in Chamberlain's final season in 1973, a five-game New York victory.

In 1972, however, Chamberlain would not be denied championship glory. That season saw Chamberlain pull in a league-best 19.2 rebounds a game as he helped guide the Lakers to a then-NBA record 69 wins including 33 in a row (a streak that stands to this day). Chamberlain took home Finals MVP honors in the win over the Knicks, averaging 19.4 points and 23.2 boards. The clincher and the jersey's finest hour, a 114-100 win at The Forum, saw Chamberlain score 24 and rebound 29.

According to Sotheby's listing, the jersey was also worn during the Lakers' Game 2 victory as well as at least one in the Western Conference Finals against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks. 

Following a display in Sotheby's Los Angeles gallery, online bidding will open on Aug. 28 and run through Sept. 27.

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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