The ball that New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby tipped in to seal the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history and win Game 4 against the San Antonio Spurs was returned to the Knicks shortly before it was scheduled to hit the Sotheby’s auction block Tuesday.
In the latest drama surrounding one of the most coveted and valuable NBA basketballs in existence, the “Hand of OG” ball was set to be one of the items featured in Part 1 of Sotheby’s 2026 NBA Finals auction starting June 30 and ending July 8. The auction also includes game-worn jerseys from both Knicks and Spurs players, as well as other game-used items from the series, like sections of the Madison Square Garden court bearing the Finals logo. But minutes before the auction was set to open, the auction page for the ball on Sotheby’s website was updated to read “This lot has been withdrawn,” as first reported by Darren Rovell on X.
“The game ball from Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals holds significant importance to the New York Knicks, their fans, and the city, and will remain with the team as a lasting piece of franchise history. As such, it will not be included in Sotheby’s June 30 auction, which will continue to feature a curated selection of authentic jerseys and memorabilia from the series,” an NBA spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic when asked why the ball was withdrawn.
OG Anunoby completes stunning Knicks win with tip-in for 3-1 series lead
Jay King
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The NBA and Sotheby’s have had a partnership that makes the New York-based auction house “the official game-worn source” of the league since late 2023. Through that partnership, a wide array of valuable game-used items has been sold to collectors both through auctions and private deals, including jerseys worn by Victor Wembanyama and Cooper Flagg in their respective NBA debuts. The Flagg jersey sold for $1 million in February.
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While it’s highly unusual for an item to be pulled from one of the NBA auctions, especially so close to open bidding, the ball’s importance to the Knicks and its place in history as a key relic in the team’s journey to its first championship in 53 years is undeniable. The ball would have commanded a significant price on the open market, though. The day after Anunoby’s tip-in, collectors searched eBay for his name at a rate 16 times higher than the day before, according to the company. Before that game, Anunoby’s record trading card sale was $5,762 in 2024, but in the days after, he had seven cards sell for $8,000 or more, including one for a high of $20,000 on June 18.
In the absence of the ball, perhaps the standout piece in the auction is Finals MVP Jalen Brunson’s jersey from Game 1, in which he scored 30 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter to help the Knicks jump out to an early series lead.
Jalen Brunson’s NBA Finals Game 1 jersey. (Courtesy of Sotheby’s)
There were 40 bids on the Brunson jersey within the first hour of the auction opening, with a high bid of $110,000.
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