Before Henry Bibby was a head coach at USC and spent many years in the NBA assistant coaching ranks he starred for the UCLA Bruins. As the starting point guard (like his future son Mike) Henry Bibby helped the Bruins win three straight NCAA titles from 1970-72 under head coach John Wooden. He was the floor general for the first 47 games of UCLA's record 88-game winning streak and was named named 2nd Team All-America his senior year. He is one of only four players to have started on three NCAA Championship teams. (The others all played for Wooden at UCLA: Lew Alcindor Curtis Rowe and Lynn Shackelford.) The New York Knicks drafted Bibby in the 4th round of the 1972 NBA Draft and he joined a talented championship-caliber team that had recently reached the mountain top in 1970 for the franchise's first title. Low and behold in his rookie year Bibby helped the Knicks win their 2nd championship. He played an auxiliary role averaging 8.6 minutes and 4.2 points per game. Yet few players in history have been fortunate enough to get a ring in their rookie season. Presented here is Henry Bibby's 1972-73 game-worn home jersey--the only one he wore that year--from undoubtedly his most memorable season as a pro. Better yet it comes directly from Bibby's personal collection.

The white knit shirt has "NEW YORK" sewn across the chest in orange-on-blue tackle twill lettering. Bibby's No. "17" appears front and back in the same format. An arched "BIBBY" is stitched in blue tackle twill on the back. Orange and blue trim around the neck and arms give it the classic Knicks look. The appropriate Gerry Cosby manufacturer's tagging is found inside the rear collar indicating size 42 100% Nylon material and a shredded washing instructions tag. How do we know this is the only home jersey Bibby wore that season? As he explained the '7' on front almost got ripped off during a preseason game. He asked the trainer for a new one to which the trainer replied "You're a rookie so that's all you're gonna get!" He sewed the number back on and Bibby wore it the whole season including the playoffs all the way through the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston. The Knicks defeated the Celtics in a thrilling 7-game series. Bibby saw action in four of those contests including Game 7. The Knicks needed just five games to knock off the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals; Bibby did not play in that series.

This jersey is an apparent match to the one Bibby is wearing on page 10 of the Knicks World Champions program as well as the team photo on page 4 (both attached). It exhibits outstanding game wear with some fraying and light spotting. The aged tags indicate numerous wash cycles as apparently there was no second set. In addition to the front number team repair noted by Bibby the top of the back number appears to have been resewn by the Knicks equipment manager as well. What a rare chance to own a vintage gamer from the last season New York celebrated a world championship in basketball some 44 years ago.

LOA from Henry Bibby.