Rare James rookie card fetches a record $5.2M
An “ultra-rare” signed rookie card for four-time NBA champion LeBron James sold for $5.2 million on Monday, according to Reuters, breaking the record for the most expensive basketball card ever sold.
It also equalled the record for any sports trading card, matching the amount paid in January for a 1952 rookie card for baseball great Mickey Mantle.
“At the heart of every collector in 2003 was the hope of pulling the ultra-rare LeBron James Rookie Patch Auto Parallel numbered to 23 copies,” PWCC Marketplace said in a statement posted to social media.
“With so few ever becoming available and demand increasing by the day, this card is quickly becoming the crown jewel of all sports card investing.”
The buyer’s identity was not immediately made public.
Sports fans dived into the sports memorabilia market with renewed vigor this year, with a signed rookie card for seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady selling for $2.25 million earlier this month and a rare Kobe Bryant rookie card selling for $1.795 million in March.
Horse racing PHILLY HORSE MAKES QUICK RUN TO CHURCHILL DOWNS >>
Brooklyn Strong needed a few horses to drop out to make the Kentucky Derby and now needs to make it to Churchill Downs at the latest possible minute.
The defection of trainer Brad Cox’s Caddo River on Sunday opened the door for Daniel Velasquez’s Brooklyn Strong to be the 20th and final horse in the field for the Run for the Roses. The New York-bred named after one of New York City’s five boroughs worked out at Parx outside Philadelphia on Monday and will be vanned overnight to Louisville to get settled in for his biggest race.
“It’s absolutely insane,” Velasquez said about the quick turnaround. “I can’t put it into words. ‘Chaos’ is the only thing I can think of because it’s just been that chaotic the last 24 to 48 hours.”
Brooklyn Strong was 23rd on the
Kentucky Derby leaderboard a week ago, which normally would lead Velasquez and owner Mark Schwartz to give up on the chances of making it and look toward the Preakness or Belmont. An unusual amount of dropouts paved the way for Brooklyn Strong to make it after a disappointing fifth-place finish in the Wood Memorial on April 3.
MALATHAAT IS EARLY FAVORITE IN KENTUCKY OAKS >> Malathaat is the 5-2 morning-line favorite and will start from the No. 10 post for Friday’s 147th Kentucky Oaks.
The race for 3-year-old fillies at Churchill Downs comes a day before the Kentucky Derby.
Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velazquez, Malathaat has won all four starts. Search Results, winner of all three races and trained by Chad Brown, and Travel Column, trained by Brad Cox, are co-second choices at 3-1.
NFL FALCONS REPORTEDLY OPEN TO TRADING WR JULIO JONES >>
Julio Jones could be coming soon to the trading block as the Atlanta Falcons entertain inquiries about the wide receiver’s availability. Multiple reports Monday indicated that teams are knocking and the Falcons are listening, but contract hurdles exist that might prevent a trade prior to June 1.
Jones, 32, caught 51 passes for 771 yards and three touchdowns in nine games in 2020. His low production was a byproduct of injuries.
The seven-time Pro Bowl selection has three years left on his contract. LINEBACKER LEE RETIRES AFTER 11 YEARS WITH COWBOYS >> Two-time Pro Bowl linebacker Sean Lee is retiring after 11 years with the Dallas Cowboys. The 34-year-old free agent wrote a letter released by the team on Monday afternoon, thanking teammates, coaches and the game of football.
The oft-injured Lee started just two of his nine games with Dallas in 2020, tallying a career-low 20 tackles.
He missed 58 games between 2010 and 2020, including the entire 2014 season with a torn ACL.
Motorsports F1 TO DEBUT SPRINT QUALIFYING FORMATAT3RACES>>
Formula One will debut sprint qualifying races at three grands prix after an agreement with all 10 teams and governing body the FIA.
The sprints will be over 100 kilometers on the Saturdays and will replace the standard qualifying, determining the starting grid for the following day’s grand prix. F1 said on Monday two European venues and one non-European are set to stage the shorter format, though they were yet to be announced.
Track and field FORMER SJSU, JAMAICA SPRINT GREAT DENNIS JOHNSON DIES >>
Sprint great Dennis Johnson from the San Jose State “Speed City” era, enshrined in the San Jose State University Sports Hall of Fame, died in Jamaica last week.
Johnson (1939-2021) specialized in the 100 and 220-yard dashes during his San Jose State track and field days in 1961 and 1962 after transferring from Bakersfield College.
Coached by the legendary Lloyd “Bud” Winter, Johnson took everything he learned from his San Jose State days back to Jamaica and formulated a countrywide training program. He was Jamaica’s Olympic Games track and field coach for seven Olympiads (1980-2004).
Besides his San Jose State Sports Hall of Fame status, he was awarded the Order of Distinction by his country of Jamaica.