2011-12 Miami Heat Player Issued Full-Size Championship Trophy Team-Signed by (12) with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh (JSA LOA)

 

*** This is a NO RESERVE Auction ***

 

This trophy was issued only to players and has been hand-signed by (12) members of the 2011-12 NBA Champion Miami Heat in gold paint pen. Autographs include LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Juwan Howard, Mike Miller, Shane Battier, James Jones, Udonis Haslem, Joel Anthony, Mario Chalmers, Dexter Pittman, Norris Cole and Terrel Harris. The trophy has the same dimensions as the NBA Championship Larry O'Brien trophy (25" tall x 10" wide). The trophy is made of a rubberized material and displays some natural mild to moderate cracking throughout. Also includes the custom box as shown.

The autographs include a full LOA from JSA for authenticity purposes.

The History of this Trophy:

For the second consecutive season, the Miami Heat partnered up with Metro Signs, Inc. and produced one of the most memorable pieces of motivation in team history. Shortly before the 2011-2012 NBA playoffs, Erik Spoelstra, Head coach of the Miami Heat, reached out to the creative team at Metro Signs, Inc. for motivational ideas. By the end of the process, a replica of the Larry O’Brien Trophy, the prize for winning an NBA championship, was created. Molded rubber and black in color, the trophy stood for something that would resonate within the team. “It was a testament to one another,” said Heat forward LeBron James. “It helped you refocus and let you know why you were here and playing for one another.” The words, “Together” “Tough” and “Trust” adorned the trophy.

Along with the inscription, which included the name and number of each player, Spoelstra also had the players sign the top of the trophy with a gold marker. “It was a covenant that we made to each other, the coaching staff and the players,” Spoelstra said. “We committed to a handful of things each. And when we weren’t producing, that trophy would come out and we would remind ourselves we signed our name and were not being true to that.”

After each victory, Spoelstra and his players each marked a notch on the black trophy. “We had to see 16 of those notches before we could even get happy,” Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. When Metro Signs, Inc. provided the black trophy for coach Spoelstra, it shifted the team’s mentality, and focus, heading into the playoffs. “That was, I think, a powerful moment for the team,” Spoelstra said. The trophy was such an inspiration, that we created another during the 2012-2013 playoffs.

What made it even more special was that the players were able to have personalized trophies. When a team wins a professional sports championship, the players get rings and the organization keeps the trophy. In this case, the Miami Heat received their rings and now own a replica of the trophy. They each took turns signing one another’s trophy, making this piece of inspiration a memorable prop for years to come.

Authentication: JSA LOA

Due to the uniqueness of each item, please refer to the photos provided in this auction. We offer high resolution images of each item rather than a written description of condition.

This item is being shipped from the Pristine Auction warehouse.