The late Clyde Lovellette was the first basketball player in history to win an NCAA championship an Olympic gold medal and an NBA title. The 6’ 9” Indiana native fostered the trend of tall physical and high-scoring centers. A 1988 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Lovellette starred in college at Kansas University where he led the Jayhawks to the 1952 NCAA title and scored a then-NCAA tournament record 141 points. In his senior year of ‘52 Lovellette led the nation in scoring (28.4 ppg) and was named Helms College Player of the Year. He remains the only college player to lead the nation in scoring and win the NCAA title in the same season. Lovellette's dominance earned him a spot on the 1952 U.S. Men’s Olympic Basketball team where he established himself as the team's most dominating player and leading scorer in Helsinki Finland. Team USA won all eight games of the competition culminating with a defensive 36-25 victory over the Soviet Union in the gold medal final. Lovellette led the U.S. in scoring with nine points. It marked the first time since 1912 that Russian athletes participated in the Olympics and came during the midst of the bitter Cold War crisis between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. making the result that much sweeter for the Americans.

This lot features Clyde Lovellette’s 1952 Olympic game-worn and dual-signed USA Basketball full uniform. The white U.S. Olympic cotton jersey shows substantial use but remains in its unaltered original condition. On thefront of the jersey is Lovellette’s uniform number “9” in blue on red tackle twill stretching four inches high positioned just below “USA” which is delivered in red on blue tackle twill. Red white and blue trim outlines the collar and sleeves. Lovellette signed the front of the jersey in black marker and his signature remains a solid 8/9-10 in our book. The back of the jersey sports Barker’s uniform number again in blue on red tackle twill this time thenumbers stretching six inches tall. The proper Wilson manufacturer’s tag appears on the left front tail with an attached strip tag reading: “9 LOVELLETTE 46 PLUS 3.”

The accompanying white satin trunks include the properWilson manufacturers tag on the inside rear waistband with an attached strip tag reading: “9. LOVELETTE 41 Plus 2 - Reg” to indicate his number name and waist size. The trunks are trimmed in red and blue and include the official Olympic embroidered patch on the left front thigh. A separate red white and blue belt with a silver buckle is also part of the shorts which reflect good game usage Lovellette has signed the shorts just above the embroidered USA Olympic patch and the autograph remain in great condition. All six original white buttons in the crotch area remain intact. Lastly Lovellette’s game-worn stirrup-style red white and blue socks round out the lot.

Includes signed LOA from Clyde Lovellette. Letter from MEARS with perfect A10 grade.