In 2001, the Los Angeles Lakers were coming off a championship season and were looking to go back-to-back. With all the momentum behind the Lakers, no one expected the Philadelphia 76ers to do much in the NBA finals. But Allen Iverson was not willing to go down without a fight.
In game 2 of the 2001 NBA finals, Iverson scored 23 points wearing his Reebok ‘Answer IVs‘. When the shoes recently came up for auction, people expected them to garner the attention of many, but they eventually ended up going for way less than they should have.
Allen Iverson’s shoes lost their value
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In 2001, Allen Iverson led the Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA finals. They went up against the Los Angeles Lakers, who had Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Although the 76ers seemed like the underdogs, Allen Iverson did the unthinkable and took game 1 off the Lakers.
Reebok had signed Iverson at the time, and he played in his Answer IVs. The black-and-white colorway still holds iconic status to this day. But Iverson’s game-worn shoes that he played in on June 8, 2001, did not reach the price point that many expected when they were recently sold at an auction.
According to a shoe collector, the shoes lost their value because of the appearance of black mold on them. It is to be noted that the shoes are 22 years old, even though they have historic value.
The Allen Iverson Finals sneakers just ended at $21,405.
Way below where they would have sold privately, in my opinion.
The appearance of black mold may have held them back.
I did not bid because of that. pic.twitter.com/Oj4tjyP9Sp
— Chase Jordan (@goatcollect) December 3, 2023
The minimum bid started at $7,500, but it didn’t last long, as the shoes were eventually sold for just $21,405. It is hard to determine if the shoes were sold at a bargain, but only time will tell how much the value will hold years down the line.
Iverson made history in 2001
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In Allen Iverson’s debut game in the NBA finals, he scored 48 points. This is still the most points scored by any player in their NBA finals debut.
Iverson, by himself, was able to lead his team to victory, as the next top scorer at the time had just 13 points. Both Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant tried their best, but the 76ers stole Game 1 from the Lakers in the Staples Center.
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What do you think of the finals run by Allen Iverson? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!