March 19, 2020: Spring Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/19/2020
In the spring of 1984, the 72 best amateurs players in the country were invited to the Olympic Trials. The action was fearsome and frequent, with three practice sessions a day including 70-minute scrimmages in the evenings. In the end, it would be Knight alone who decided who made the team and who was cut. If you want an idea of the depth of the talent pool and the competitiveness of the selection process, consider this - Knight cut eight future NBA All-Stars and four future Hall of Famers, including Barkley, Stockton, Malone, Dumars, Porter, Person, Manning, and Green. When Knight's 12 finalists finally took the court for 1984 Games, the games were merely a formality. The U.S. would romp to a perfect 8-0 record in Olympic play, outscoring their opponents by a margin of 32.1 points per game and easily capturing the gold medal. The "Molten 1984 Olympic Games Ball" basketball offered here is signed by every member of this historic team, including the coaching staff. The 14 black sharpie autographs include Hall of Famers Michael Jordan, Chris Mullin, Patrick Ewing and Bob Knight. Others include Jon Koncak, Joe Kleine, Jeff Turner, Steve Alford, Leon Wood, Alvin Robertson, Vern Fleming, Wayman Tisdale, Sam Perkins and CM Newton (coach). Most of the signatures have faded to some degree, but are still clearly visible. An extremely rare and historic piece of basketball history, celebrating Michael Jordan's introduction to the world and the best amateur team ever assembled. Full LOA from BAS, along with a letter from Gail Goodrich, who originally owned the basketball and consigned it to a charity auction to help the homeless in Los Angeles.
1984 US Olympic Basketball Team-Signed Basketball with Michael Jordan (14) (BAS)
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