Sotheby’s & Goldin Auctions Present: A Century of Champions

Sotheby’s & Goldin Auctions Present: A Century of Champions

View full screen - View 1 of Lot 92. 2012 Olympic Team U.S.A Men's National Basketball Team Signed and Framed to 31x28" Team Photo with 17 Signatures Including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant (PSA/DNA).

2012 Olympic Team U.S.A Men's National Basketball Team Signed and Framed to 31x28" Team Photo with 17 Signatures Including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant (PSA/DNA)

Lot Closed

December 7, 08:34 PM GMT

Estimate

15,000 - 20,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

2012 Olympic Team U.S.A Men's National Basketball Team Signed and Framed to 31x28" Team Photo with 17 Signatures Including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant (PSA/DNA)


As the start of the 2012 Olympics neared, the heavily-favored Team USA looked like they were in serious trouble. No less than eight members went down with injuries that kept them from playing. Fortunately, Team USA was able to dip into the NBA talent pool and come up with a younger squad built around speed. Kevin Durant, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant were the marquee members, and it was the latter saying, “It was something that was very personal to us to put our country back on top. It’s a different feeling playing for your country. When you’re playing in the NBA you’re playing for a particular city, but when you’re playing for your country those lines go away. It carries a great honor that goes above and beyond winning the NBA championship.”


Kobe’s passion ignited the team to a perfect 8-0 record and they set an Olympic Games single-game record with 156 points scored against Nigeria in the preliminary round. Durant led the team in scoring with an average of 19.5 points per game, while Kevin Love recorded a team-high 7.6 rebounds per contest and Kobe added 12.1 points per game. In the Gold Medal game against Spain, Team USA led by a single point going into the fourth quarter. At this point LeBron James came alive, scoring a dunk and a three-point shot that put the game to bed. While the 1992 Team USA would always be the first “Dream Team,” many believed that this 2012 squad filled with younger, hungrier players would have gave Jordan and Company a run for their money. This display captures the victorious Team USA posing in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. All 17 members of the 2012 edition of the “Dream Team” have signed the color photograph in bold black marker including LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Kevin Love, Mike D’Antoni, Jim Boeheim, Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Chris Paul, Mike Krzyzewski, Deron Williams, James Harden, Andre Iguodala, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler, Nate McMillan and Jerry Colangelo. The signed photo has been professionally matted and framed along with a pair of USA Basketball logos and a plaque listing all 17 players and coaches. Framed to an impressive 31 x 28 inches, this signed piece pays homage to one of the greatest collections of basketball talent ever assembled. This piece comes with a LOA from PSA/DNA (AA68010) for the signatures.