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A piece of basketball history has hit the auction block.
TMZ Sports reported that the 1975 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame ring owned by the legendary Bill Russell has been listed by SCP Auctions.
The ring “weighs 65 grams and is 14-karat gold with 1.625 carats of real diamonds.”
The bids are already coming in for the ring with the current high bid at nearly $45,000. When it’s all said and done, the ring is expected to bring in nearly $200,000.
SCP Auctions is honored to present two of the late Bill Russell's rings earned after his incredible career. Both Russell's Hall of Fame ring and NBA 50 Greatest Players ring are offered in our Summer Premier.
Current Bids: $39,930 and $24,200
BID HERE: https://t.co/k3ZMyQeQBD pic.twitter.com/h4fEEiwUWP
— SCP Auctions (@SCPAuctions) September 3, 2022
Russell passed away at age 88 on July 31.
Throughout his illustrious career, Russell won 11 NBA championships, five NBA Most Valuable Player awards, earned 12 NBA All-Star selections, and All-NBA Team honors 11 times.
In addition to his success on the court, Russell was a civil rights pioneer, marched with Martin Luther King Jr., and earned the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom for his athletic achievements and lifelong commitment to social justice.
After his death, the NBA announced Russell’s No. 6 will be retired across the league, and the Boston Celtics will pay tribute to Russell throughout the upcoming season along with a special uniform tribute.
Meanwhile, all NBA players will wear a commemorative patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys, and every NBA court will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer’s table.