Hugh Hefner's 1999-2000 NBA championship ring won by the Lakers goes on auction

Hugh Hefner’s 1999-2000 NBA championship ring has been put up for auction and is expected to sell before the end of the week after an $8,250 bid emerged.

The ring was given to the late Playboy founder by close friend and former Lakers owner Jerry Buss after the Purple and Gold defeated the Indiana Pacers in the NBA finals, four games to two, to clinch the 12th NBA title. NBA. It was also the Lakers’ first championship since 1988 and the beginning of an impressive ‘three-peat’.

Hefner’s name is engraved on the side of the 14-karat yellow gold ring with diamonds throughout. The iconic NBA player logo and the Lakers’ season (67-15) and playoff (15-8) records are also engraved with the publisher’s name.

The piece of sports memorabilia is listed for sale by SCP Auctions and has a current minimum bid of $7,500. Only two parties have shown interest.

The ring was also created using the exact same details as the players’ versions that were released, including NBA legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Hugh Hefner’s 1999-2000 NBA ring, made of 14-karat yellow gold, sold for a low bid of $7,500. Its current bid is $8,250 before the auction closes on Saturday

Each side of Hefner’s ring has specific designs on it, including the Playboy founder’s last name, the NBA logo, the Lakers’ regular and postseason season records. Also engraved are the words ‘bling bling’ and the year 2000

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner died aged 91 in 2017. Pictured at a 2014 Playboy event in LA

Its face contains a pool of diamonds matching the ‘Lakers’ name, and five large genuine diamonds appear on each side for a total of 2.05 carats. ‘World Champions’ also appears on the front in a bright gold font.

On the other side is engraved a ring and a diamond symbol of basketball, as well as the words ‘bling’ and the year ‘2000’.

Inside the ring band is a ’14K’ stamping. The ring also includes the original gift box with Hefner’s name engraved on the plaque. It was sold at SCP Auctions on October 14 by Cooper Hefner, who in 2012, was announced as his father’s successor as the public face of Playboy.

Inside the band of the ring is a ’14K’ stamping, which has remained in very good condition as the ring has been lightly worn.

The ring comes with the original Lakers presentation box with Hefner engraved on the plaque

Kobe Bryant (left) and Shaquille O’Neal (right) were part of the 1999-2000 Lakers’ title run

The youngest of Hefner’s four children, however, is believed to have stopped working for the magazine after leaving its parent company, Playboy Enterprises, in 2019 – two years after his father died aged 91.

Buss died four years ago, in 2013. During his time as owner of the Lakers, he was known as a playboy and had young girlfriends. His daughter, Jeannie, is the President of the Lakers.

In 1999-2000, the Purple and Gold finished the NBA season with 67 wins, leading the Western Conference. It was the first time in nine years since the franchise finished in first place.

This is also the first time in Lakers history that a roster has surpassed the record number of games won in a single season – 69.

Lakers Owner Jerry Buss (center) and Hefner (right) were best friends before they both died

Center Shaquille O’Neal was named MVP at the end of the regular season and a 21-year-old Kobe Bryant was selected as part of the NBA’s Defensive First Team while also averaging 22.5 points in 38.2 minutes.

The Lakers defeated both the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns in five games each in the first two playoff rounds before facing the Portland Trailblazers in the Western Conference Finals.

They went right to the wire with a Blazers team featuring Rasheed Wallace, Scottie Pippen and Steve Smith, as the series was settled at seven games. LA then lifted the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy after defeating the Pacers in the NBA Finals.

The Lakers would not lift another NBA championship trophy following the ‘three-peat’ (2000, 2001 and 2002) until seven years later in 2009.