Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gets nearly $3 million for Lakers rings and more in auction

NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar collected nearly $3 million over the weekend by auctioning off 234 pieces of memorabilia, including four of the five NBA championship rings he won with the Lakers.

Abdul-Jabbar has said that “a significant portion of the proceeds� — which went for a total of $2,947,872.25 — will go to his Skyhook Foundation, whose stated mission is to bring science, technology, engineering and mathematics opportunities to underserved communities.

According to GoldinAuctions.com, the site that hosted the auction, the item that went for the highest bid was Abdul-Jabbar’s 1987 championship ring, which went for the final price of $398,937.50. His 1985 championship ring went for $343,700, while his rings from 1980 and 1988 went for $245,500 each.

The minimum bid for one of Abdul-Jabbar’s championship rings was $60,000. He also won NBA titles in 1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks and 1982 with the Lakers. Neither of those rings was up for auction.

Abdul-Jabbar recently said that he was ready to part with much of his NBA memorabilia and hoping to do some good with it.

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“I can’t afford to pay all the rental fees and insurance. I’m just tired of it,� he said. “It can help me support my foundation. … A significant portion of the proceeds will go to help me help the kids learn about STEM education. That’s one of the main reasons I’m here, to get some support from my friends in the NBA.�

Among the other items sold during the auction: a signed ball used when Abdul-Jabbar scored his final NBA points ($270,050), three of his league MVP trophies ($122,750-$123,978), a pair of game-worn goggles ($12,275) and a crystal mini-basketball, which was a 50th birthday gift from Pat Riley ($2,455).

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