A massive piece of LA’s history is going under the hammer. The championship ball from the 2000 NBA finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers is going to be auctioned. It’s the same ball that Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Reggie Miller played with. Some might say it’s another day of Kobe Bryant’s memory being exploited and something that’s a piece of Los Angeles’ history shouldn’t be sold. The first title of the Lakers three-peat is an emotion and not just an event. You didn’t have to be a Lakers fan, or even a fan of the Pacers, to feel a nostalgic connection to the 2000 NBA Finals.

Why Was the 2000 NBA Finals So Significant?

The stage for the 2000 NBA Finals was set four years earlier. Angered by Orlando Magic’s rejection, Shaquille O’Neal took Jerry West’s $120 million offer to come to LA in 1996. West cut Vlade Divac and orchestrated a handshake deal with the Charlotte Hornets to get Kobe Bryant straight out of high school.

The Pacers meanwhile hired Lakers’ nemesis, Celtics legend, and Indiana native, Larry Bird as head coach in 1997 to maximize their star player, Reggie Miller’s window. Bird had even fought to keep Miller from getting traded.

The beginning of the Lakers’ Shaq & Kobe era was a rollercoaster. Michael Jordan was still dominating for three more years till Phil Jackson was cut from the Bulls after their second three-peat. LA saw their opportunity right after losing the ’99 Finals to the Spurs and got Phil. They even got veterans like John Salley to teach the Bulls’ famous triangle offense.

With Michael Jordan on the way out and the Bulls dynasty ending, the Spurs consecutive titles before, and simply being the end of the ’90s, the 2000 NBA finals carried a lot of weight. Jerry West, who staged this had been let go, but his accomplishment saw results.

The Lakers went to the 2000 NBA finals against the Pacers. The Lakers beat them 4-2, beginning their three-peat legacy. After winning with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Phil Jackson was winning with the newest duo of the generation.

It was huge on the Pacers’ end too. They were in the finals for the first time, something that would repeat only 25 years later. Though Phil Jackson was the winning coach, Bird was named Coach of the Year for this season.

Key Moments Everyone Still Talks About

On June 7, 2000, the Lakers kick off the finals with a home court advantage in the erstwhile Staples Center. This would be one of the most dominant games of Shaquille O’Neal’s career. The big man had 43 points and 19 rebounds in this game alone. The Pacers gave them a scare in the third quarter but the Lakers pulled ahead in the fourth to clinch Game 1 with a 104-87 win. Miller had an undesirable milestone, missing 15 of 16 shots from the field, which became the sixth-worst shooting performance in NBA Finals history.

Game 2 saw the Big Aristotle on his same antics. While it looked scary after Kobe Bryant left midgame with an ankle injury, Shaq went for 40 points and 24 rebounds. Ron Harper stepped up with 21 points to help them with a 111-104 win. But Big Shot Bob was the clutch performer of the game. Robery Horry converted the layup and foul shot that gave the Lakers a 102–96 lead that ended in their win.

The Pacers were down 0-2 going into Game 3 and the Lakers were down Kobe Bryant. Indiana took advantage of that and Reggie Miller scored 33 points in this home game. The game finished 100-91 in the Pacers’ favor.

So now, Kobe had to right it. The then 21-year-old returned in Game 4, gave an early lesson in the Mamba Mentality, carried the team when Shaq fouled out, and forced overtime. With an aching ankle, Bryant nailed jumpers and hit the game-winner, reverse-layup putback with 5.9 seconds left. By the end of the game, Shaq had 36 points and 21 rebounds, Kobe had 28 points, and the Lakers were 3-1 with this 120-118 win.

Jalen Rose was the hero of Game 5. He helped the Pacers dominate and led them with 32 points. The Pacers once again caught up with a 120-87 win.

That upped the stakes in Game 6. LA could clinch the series or the Pacers could even it. Shaq’s 41 points and 12 rebounds sealed the series. He and Kobe had their first titles. Phil Jackson was winning again. And they were on route to two more.

The Legacy of the 2000 Finals

This was the first championship the Lakers had won since 1988, when Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were still playing. Los Angeles had not seen a title in a decade with even the Dodgers having last won in ’88. The Staples Center, that inaugurated in ’99 had its first championship parade. It began the Shaq & Kobe era, closing the Bulls dynasty. No team would three-peat after them, proving just how hard that feat was.

For Indiana, going to the finals for the first time and losing was a long fall. Larry Bird resigned, the team rebuilt, but never made it past the playoffs again.

Memorabilia from these finals, including the ball from Game 6 is now up for auction. It’s valued anywhere between $300,000 to $500,000. Bidding starts from November 25 and ends on December 11.