LeBron James 2004-2005 Game Worn Nike Zoom LeBron 2 Sneakers | First Career Triple-Double | Youngest Player in NBA History to Record a Triple-Double at the Time of the Achievement

MeiGray Authentication, Private Collection

These sneakers were worn by LeBron James on January 19, 2005, when the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 107-101 at Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Oregon. James recorded 27 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, marking his first career triple-double and, at 20 years and 20 days old, the youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double at the time.

The sneakers are a Nike Zoom LeBron 2 in a maroon and white colorway. "1/19 Port" has been handwritten in marker on the size tag of both shoes. The pair is accompanied by a crumpled note found inside one of the shoes reading: "You wore these during the Portland game on January 19, 2005, your first career triple double. I put the date on the inside of the tongue."

The sneakers have been photomatched by MeiGray.

The sneakers are further accompanied by a Letter of Provenance from Adam Dawson, a Warren, Ohio resident, who acquired the shoes from a thrift store in Youngstown, Ohio in the summer of 2010, shortly after LeBron James departed Cleveland for the Miami Heat.

The story of how these sneakers surfaced is, in its own way, as compelling as the game they witnessed. In the summer of 2010, as Cleveland was still reeling from James's departure for Miami, Adam Dawson walked into a Youngstown thrift store and found a pair of basketball shoes crammed onto a rack among ordinary footwear. The size caught his eye first. Then, reaching inside, his hand found a crumpled note. It read: "You wore these during the Portland game on January 19, 2005, your first career triple double. I put the date on the inside of the tongue."

The occasion that note described was one for the ages. January 19, 2005 was LeBron James's second NBA season, and he was still only 20 years old. With 1:19 remaining and the game in hand, his pass to Zydrunas Ilgauskas gave him his 10th assist and completed the triple-double. His teammates congratulated him during a timeout, his mother watching from a courtside seat. "I just want to create an atmosphere where winning is the most important thing," James said afterward. "It's not individual goals. Winning this ballgame tonight, and plus getting the triple-double, it gets no better than this." Even the opposing Trail Blazers took notice. "He's in my top 5 of all time," Portland forward Ruben Patterson said. "He's strong and gets to the basket. He's a great leaper."

The Portland game was the first chapter in a record that grew to encompass the entire league. James would go on to record triple-doubles against all 30 NBA teams, becoming the first player in history to achieve the feat, completing the mark against the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2019. The record for youngest player to record a triple-double was eventually surpassed by Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball on November 11, 2017, at 20 years and 15 days old, a record that has since been broken.

And then, on February 12, 2026, more than two decades after that night in Portland, James took the floor against the Dallas Mavericks at 41 years and 44 days old and did it again. Twenty-eight points, twelve assists, ten rebounds. The oldest player in NBA history to record a triple-double. He had once been the youngest. Now he is the oldest. No player in the history of professional basketball has held both distinctions, a testament to one of the most extraordinary careers the sport has ever seen. The sneakers offered here document the opening line of that story.

Going Deeper | LeBron James

The conversation regarding the greatest basketball player of all time may forever continue to be up for debate, but one thing is for sure, LeBron James will always be a part of the discussion. After his 23rd season in the NBA, James' resume puts him on many NBA fans' Mount Rushmore.

LeBron's legacy began in his hometown of Akron, Ohio. As a high school phenom at St. Vincent - St. Mary, LeBron, and his teammates, dubbed the 'Fab Five', led the school to three state championships in four years. During his high school career, LeBron garnered national attention, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a high school junior in 2002 with the headline 'The Chosen One,' and achieving honors such as the Gatorade Player of the Year in 2002, and the McDonald's All-American MVP in 2003.

At 18 years old, LeBron James was selected first overall in the 2003 NBA draft, directly from high school, by his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. Immediately making an impact upon entering the league, LeBron became the first player in franchise history and the youngest player in NBA history to win the Rookie of the Year award, at 19 years old.

At the time of cataloging, James has career averages of 26.9 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 7.4 assists per game. James is a 22-time All-Star, 4-time MVP, 4-time Finals MVP, 2004 Rookie of the Year, 13-time All-NBA 1st Team member, 4-time All-NBA Second Team member, 4-time All-NBA Third Team member, 5-time All-Defensive First Team member, and a member of the 75th Anniversary Team.

 The NBA 75th Anniversary Team was selected by a blue-ribbon panel of players, coaches, general managers, and sportswriters who voted on the 75 Greatest Players in NBA History. Only 11 active players were selected for the team, including LeBron James.

In his first seven seasons in the NBA, James led the Cavaliers to 50 or more wins on four separate occasions, including a franchise record 66-win season in 2008-2009, collected two league MVPs, and led the Cavaliers to their first trip to the NBA Finals in 2007. However, LeBron and the Cavaliers would fail to bring a championship to Cleveland that year.

The NBA's all-time leading scorer, LeBron James is recognized as one of the greatest players in the history of professional basketball. James' move from his first NBA team, the Cleveland Cavaliers, to the Miami Heat in 2010 is considered one of the boldest free-agent decisions in sports history. After winning two NBA championships in 2012 and 2013 for the Miami Heat, James returned to Cleveland. In 2016 he led the Cavaliers to their first NBA Championship, ending the city's 52-year-long professional sports title drought. After his 2020 Championship with the Los Angeles Lakers, he became the only player to win the NBA Finals MVP with three different teams. He won his 3rd Gold Medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the captain of USA Basketball, where the squad went undefeated.