2011-12 LeBron James Game Worn Photo-Matched Sneakers - RGU LOA

With three straight losses in mid-January, the delayed start of the 2011-12 season was not playing out how the Miami Heat hoped. In the second year of their super-team experiment with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh leading the charge, the Heat trailed the Spurs by 14 on January 17, 2012, and another mark in the loss column seemed inevitable. But something changed after halftime. Something energized LeBron. And he made that 14-point deficit quickly evaporate, putting the Heat ahead for good on a 3-pointer seven minutes into the third quarter. LeBron overcame flu-like symptoms over the final two periods to hit seven of his ten shots for 17 points and assisted on six other baskets. Miami scored 71 second-half points to storm back and rout San Antonio 120-98, and the Heat would not lose three consecutive regular-season games again for two years. One week later, the Heat felt much better about their season as LeBron’s former team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, traveled to Miami. LeBron helped fuel his fourth career victory over the Cavs in a 92-85 triumph that pushed Miami within half a game of the Southeast Division lead. The Heat eventually defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 4-1 to capture the NBA title. LeBron took home the MVP award. In both of the aforementioned games, LeBron wore the pair of Nike LeBron IX sneakers available in this month’s Premier Auction. The sneakers have been photo-matched to both games by Real Game-Used. Featuring LeBron’s signature on the tongue and a new King James logo on the heel, the LeBron IX integrated flywire technology and became the first shoe to feature Nike’s Max Air 180 and Zoom Air technologies together. Nike designer Jason Petrie incorporated elements close to LeBron’s heart in the sneaker’s design, giving the shoes a sleek look on the basketball court and out on the town. “When you look deeply into what it means for LeBron to be the ultimate triple threat on court, and in life through philanthropy—on-court, off-court, being a father, he has so many different traits,” Petrie said. “So, we look at that notion of the triple threat, and that’s why the shoe is kind of designed like an odd number almost. It’s asymmetric, you’ve got that three-pointed stability wing on the side (and) the asymmetry in the back. We just had fun with designing it with that uneven sense in mind. So, for those out there that like to talk about the aesthetics, now you can get some reasoning for why some of those things look the way they do or are styled the way they are.” As LeBron prepares to put his name on one of the most storied records in sports, his memorabilia will likely continue to generate interest. And the backstory on these game-worn sneakers from his first title in Miami should give collectors three more reasons to celebrate. RGU Letter of Authenticity Athlete: LeBron James Description: Photo Matched 2011-12 NBA Game Worn Nike LeBron IX Sneakers (LeBron's 1st NBA Title Season) Game Data: January 17, 2012-San Antonio Spurs @ Miami Heat (120-98 Win) - 33 Points, 5 Rebounds, 10 Assists, and January 24, 2012-Cleveland Cavaliers @ Miami Heat (92-85 Win) - 18 Points, 5 Rebounds, 5 Assists - Regular Season Item Details: Both sneakers are photo matched to each game based a number of identifiers that include uniquely placed line patterns and their intersection points with the white borders and the red inner Nike swooshes on each sneaker. There are also uniquely centered raised areas on the top portion of each shoe tongue along with a loose thread on the inner left shoe that also stand out as photo matched identifiers. The sneakers were first worn with black laces on January 17, 2012, in a victorious contest versus the San Antonio Spurs. The sneakers were worn with red laces in their second and final court appearance on January 24, 2012, in a victorious contest versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. The sneakers have player exclusive promotional sample tagging that reads ""PROMO SAMPLE20110729"" indicating the manufacturing date. The insoles have been removed from both sneakers. The shoes display signs of wear that includes scuffs in the toe box regions as well as court dust and wear on the outsoles. These sneakers are conclusively photo matched to two 2011-12 NBA regular season games as LeBron James was on his way to his very first NBA Championship. Manufacturer/Size/Color/Model: Nike/Size 16/White Black Red/Nike Lebron IX Promo Sample Evaluation Date: December 29, 2021 Hologram Number: 249046