The jersey worn by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then Lew Alcindor, during UCLA’s victory in the 1968 NCAA National Championship Game will be sold through Grey Flannel Auctions this weekend. This is the only known photo-matched, game-used UCLA jersey worn by the legendary center to surface publicly; bidding has already surpassed $1 million, including the buyer’s premium.

When the jersey last changed hands roughly 50 years ago, the cost was slightly less — one transistor radio.

According to the consignor, who asked to be referred to by their first name, David, to maintain privacy, the jersey was acquired in the mid-to-late 1970s by trade in the parking lot of The Forum in Inglewood, Calif.

“I was a Lakers fan, big time, and liked UCLA,” David told The Athletic. “Grew up in South Gate there, and as a teen we basically used to ride the bus to The Forum all the time and see if we could get in.”

David says he started talking to another fan who had brought the jersey, hoping to get it signed. Then a star with the Los Angeles Lakers, Alicindor changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971. The jersey’s owner was a USC fan and was willing to part with it for the right trade. David’s transistor radio, which he used to listen to Dodgers games, was enough to get a deal done.

“(The radio) meant a lot to me, but he said ‘OK’ and away we went,” David said. “I give him the radio, and I got the jersey. Which turns out now is a pretty good deal, I think.”

Lew Alcindor UCLA jersey worn 1968-69. (Photos courtesy of Grey Flannel Auctions)

David said he didn’t know the jersey was game-used at the time and doesn’t believe the other fan knew it was, either. Decades later, the jersey is now considered one of the most significant pieces of Abdul-Jabbar memorabilia to surface publicly, and among the most important pieces of collegiate basketball memorabilia from any player to hit the open market. David has kept the jersey in storage over the years but recently decided it was time to move on, which is when he contacted Grey Flannel Auctions about selling it.

“Even growing up, getting married, having kids, the whole shebang, I just basically kept in good condition,” David said. “I moved two or three times, ended up in Oregon here, and then I just decided I’m tired of carrying this around. I really don’t have a place to put it up where it will be appreciated.”

Michael Russek, director of operations at Grey Flannel, says the company felt the jersey was possibly game-used after receiving the first images from David. Russek says the jersey had the proper tagging from the era and the auction house had a good feel for its age from the patina and wear on the jersey.

“We started right away to dig into period photography to start matching up unique characteristics,” Russek told The Athletic. “We knew right away that we had something special.”

Grey Flannel was able to match the jersey to an undated Type 1 wire photograph from the period, before meeting David to examine the item in person. The jersey was later matched to UCLA’s 85-82 win over Drake in the 1969 Final Four. Through a collaboration with SIA Photo Match, it was determined the jersey was also worn in the season prior for the 1968 championship game, where UCLA topped North Carolina, 78-55, behind 34 points and 16 rebounds from Alcindor.

“This is one of those pieces where photo-matching elevated its level of collectibility to a place where it’s hard-pressed to find another college (game-worn jersey) out there that would have this much significance,” Russek said.

Small stitching elements used to photo match the jersey. (Image courtesy of Grey Flannel Auctions)

Russek says the jersey was clearly team-issued and the numbers on the front and back were original. As part of the photo-matching process, Grey Flannel used specific characteristics, including a notch in the “A” in UCLA, to link the jersey to images from the era. Other characteristics can include creasing and wrinkling from industrial washers used by the team, which, after multiple washes, can create unique patterns that can help identify specific jerseys.

A loose thread on the “A” side of UCLA spotted in a photograph of Alcindor helped match the garment to the 1969 Final Four game.

Bidding so far has been a surprise for David, who had no idea what the jersey could sell for. Grey Flannel didn’t place a pre-sale estimate on it.

“It’s amazing. I mean, when you hear something like that, and you’ve taken care of it and carried it around all these years,” David said. “I didn’t have a place to put it up, and it comes back with that significance. I’m still in awe of it.”

David says he doesn’t have plans for how he’ll use the money, but did say he’d be pleased if the jersey somehow ended up back at UCLA.

“Yeah, I think it’d be great if it ended up at the university.”

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