LeBron James’ infamous traffic ticket goes for $8,500 at auction

A LeBron James memorabilia, a traffic ticket, was auctioned for $8,500. It was issued to him before he entered the NBA in 2003, when he was stopped for having no rear license plate on his vehicle. The ticket, which could be his first, was sold at an online auction.

Fanatics Collect shared a picture of it on Instagram, which had James’ signature.

“In 2003, LeBron James was pulled over in a traffic stop in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. The 18-year-old received a ticket for not having a rear license plate on his Hummer H2,” Fanatics Collect wrote.

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The ticket is infamous as the Lakers star received it while driving his controversial Hummer H2. At the time, the source of the vehicle was investigated by the Ohio High School Athletic Association. It believed the car was a reward for his athletic achievement, which would have gone against its amateur bylaws.

Upon further investigation, the commission found out the vehicle was gifted by James mom, taking out a $50,000 loan against her son’s future earning power. The controversy surrounding the car and the timing of the ticket made the memorabilia a sought-after item.

It was listed on Goldin.com, and according to the website, the sale was made on Sept. 29, with 22 bids placed.

LeBron James reflects on valuable advice he received from Pat Riley: "We're here for a reason."

During Wednesday's episode of his "Mind the Game" podcast, LeBron James opened up on a valuable lesson he learned from Pat Riley. James, who spent considerable time with him during his tenure with the Miami Heat, reflected on it.

"One thing that I learned from Pat Riley," James said. "Like, he always would say, 'Listen, we're here for a reason. We're here to do a job. You know, enjoy it, but keep the main thing, the main thing.'"

James won his first NBA championship with the Heat in 2012. After winning his second in 2013, he has since added two more titles, one with the Cavaliers and another with the Lakers.

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About the author

Arian Kashyap

Arian Kashyap is a basketball journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience at Essentially Sports and Spice Bite and a Bachelor's in Physical Education and Sports Sciences.

Arian's favorite team is the Miami Heat and it’s mainly down to Dwyane Wade being his favorite player of all time. Arian loved how explosive Wade was as a player and he had all the attributes, whether that be shooting, defending or passing. Arian really liked how he won titles both with and without a dynasty behind him.

Arian has also worked with Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools and was the manager for a Delhi-based women’s team called Garwhal Untied. Garwhal won the Delhi league and were runners-up during his tenure.

Arian has judged essay writing competitions for the Commonwealth Students Welfare Group of India in 2023 and was a part of the U-14 team for the Bhaichung Bhutia Football Schools academy that qualified for the AIFF Round in 2023.

When not working or watching sports, Arian likes riding his motorcycle and reading.

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