Game Used Basketball Shoes Collectors?

[gutone]

Are there any NBA game used shoe collectors on this forum? I love seeing game used shoes and hear about how you acquired them. Please post pictures of your collections. Also make sure to post if you are looking for any game used shoes as I am sure in this forum of collectors or amongst our network we can help you track down what you are looking for. Thanks in advance for your submissions.

-Tone

[gutone]

I love game used shoes because I am a fan of the players. The business of sports is exactly that a business and frequently a player is traded or signs with a new team in free agency. In that instant the players jersey or trading card is now less collectible as it is not the players "current team". I have worked at two trading card/memorabilia companies and when a trade or free agency signing happens it becomes a sale to try and get rid of the "old" material as the fan base dies out pretty fast for most players. Game used shoes don't receive the same stigma on the team connection as jerseys do concerning value. Since the shoes do not usually have team markings beside some similar color-ways, the shoes value can increase as the player continues to play well. Plus, with the new rule of allowing players to use any color-way they like in the NBA, we should see even less of a hit on value as the shoes will have even less connection to a team's specific colors.