This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/28/2019
In 1974-75 the Louisville Colonels won their first and only ABA Championship. One of the major factors in the team’s revitalization was when future Hall of Famer Hubie Brown took over as head coach. Another key to the team’s success was the signing of power forward Wil Jones. The ABA veteran’s aggressive defense won him ABA All-Defense Team honors that season. To get to the finals, the Colonels first won a one-game playoff against the Nets and then beat the Memphis Sounds 4 games to 1 in the semifinals. The Colonels duplicated the 4-games-to-1 record in both the Eastern Division finals and the ABA Finals to defeat the Indiana Pacers for the championship. The ABA commissioner made headlines when he irreverently challenged the NBA champion Golden State to a World Championship, a challenge that the older league flatly refused.
Wil Jones wore this home uniform set during the 1975-76 season, his final with the team in which he averaged 13.6 points and 7.5 rebounds. The white mesh jersey is boldly trimmed in red and blue with “Colonels” and Jones’ number “11” on the front. The back has “W. Jones” and his number in red and blue. A Rawlings size 44 label with “3 INCH EXTRA LENGTH” hangtag is sewn in the lower right front tail of the jersey. The matching white mesh shorts are trimmed in red and blue and have the Rawlings size 34 label sewn in the waistband adjacent to a “PLUS ¾” RISE” and “22” strip tags. The jersey shows solid wear with some light toning and puckering on the graphics. The shorts also show ample use with light toning and loose threads throughout. A rare and complete uniform set from one of the ABA's most prestigious teams in the 1970's. Originally sourced directly from Jones in our previous auction.