LeBron James' High School Hummer Up for Auction

The car used by Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James as a high school senior is headed to the auction block.

The 2003 Hummer H2 will go up for auction by Goldin Auctions on Monday, and the car will be sold on Dec. 8th.

2003 Infamous Customized H2 Hummer LeBron James Received For His 18th Birthday

Goldin Auctions president Ken Goldin said he feels the car is “definitely a six-figure piece.”

According to Goldin Auctions:

In what may be considered the most notorious car since O.J. Simpson’s white Ford Bronco, LeBron James received the ultimate birthday present when he turned 18 on December 20, 2002. Already deemed the best high school basketball player, it was easy to see that he would be the eventual No. 1 pick in the then upcoming 2003 NBA Draft. LeBron received a custom pewter-colored Hummer H2 from his mother Gloria. Offered here is the very famous or “infamous” Hummer that his mother Gloria purchased for him on his 18th birthday.

Of course, a vehicle like this given to a high schooler, especially the prodigious talent of LeBron James raised eyebrows with the Ohio High School Athletic Association, who would have stripped away LeBron’s amateur status if it was found that the vehicle was purchased from an “outsider”. The James family at that time was living in public housing in Akron, Ohio and the Hummer was purchased for $50,000 on a loan obtained by LeBron’s mother Gloria. Those circumstances brought about the controversy that ensued. The loan was obtained using LeBron’s future value based on his likely top draft pick and future endorsement deals. After an investigation, the Ohio High School Athletic Associated deemed the purchase acceptable, thus negating any discipline against LeBron.

This vehicle, which is still in full working order, was featured on the TV show “Unique Whips”, which aired on the Speed Channel from 2005-2008. During one of the episodes, this Hummer was painted white from its original pewter color. This massive vehicle still has all of the bells and whistles, including 28-inch rims, multiple TV screens, a JBL sound system, a PlayStation, DirecTV TracVision and a custom chrome grille. It’s easy to see why a gaudy vehicle like this elicited much conversation at the time as to “should a high-schooler like LeBron James be allowed to drive a vehicle like this?”

Now, an astute collector can own and possible drive this famous vehicle, if he/she desires to do so. The vehicle only has 28,532 miles and is flawless condition. The vehicle has been on display at the Greater Cleveland Auto Auction in Cleveland, Ohio since it was purchased in January of 2014. GCAA has complete and detailed documents from the state of Ohio regarding ownership of this vehicle. Lebron James no longer owns this vehicle and is not involved in the sale. Please note that this vehicle is being sold as a sports collectible item and Goldin Auctions is not responsible for any or all possible mechanical defects.

The Kelley Blue Book value of the car is only about $18,000, though that doesn’t account for the custom sound system and TVs that James had installed.

Last month, Walter Payton’s 1979 Porsche was sold in Chicago for $324,500.