LeBron James’ game-worn shoes from his NBA playoff debut April 22, 2006, have surfaced at auction for the first time and could set an all-time record for any James-worn sneakers.
The pair of Nike Zoom LeBron 20-5-5 "Four Horseman" sneakers will be sold via Goldin Auctions in their upcoming Goldin 100 auction, with a starting bid of $10,000.
Photo-matched to a game against the Washington Wizards, in which James would record a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in a 97-86 victory, the sneakers feature a poignant inscription: “To Lil Bro Stay Strong" and “RIP Brenda W.” The inscripton is clearly a reference to the death of his godmother, Brenda Lewis-Weems, who died of cancer prior to the game. James spent the previous evening at her wake.
According to Goldin Auctions founder Ken Goldin, the emotional tie-in and importance of the start of James’ postseason career could power the sneakers to unprecedented heights.
“To me the significance of the shoes being worn in his first ever NBA playoff game, coupled by the emotions of losing his godmother and the inscription on the shoes should combine to make this most valuable pair of sneakers ever sold of LeBron playing in the NBA,” Goldin told cllct.
Currently, the record for any pair of sneakers worn by LeBron James belongs to a pair worn in his second career game, which sold for $222,000 in May 2023. Additionally, a pair of sneakers gifted by Kobe Bryant to James and worn by James in a high school game against Carmelo Anthony in 2002 sold for $215,000 via fractional investment platform Rally.
James memorabilia, such as his jerseys, have made headlines recently, as the jersey he wore during his “Chosen One” photoshoot sold for $1.3 million in late September. The record for any piece of James memorabilia ever sold belongs to a 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite autographed patch rookie card which sold for $5.2 million in April 2021.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.