This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/24/2014
Cheryl Miller is universally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball. Miller is credited with both popularizing the women’s game and elevating it to a higher level. While growing up in southern California, Miller displayed extraordinary talent on the basketball court and was known to school brother Reggie in 1-on-1. She stayed close to her family by choosing to attend college at the University of Southern California (USC), where she quickly became a star. In 1983, her first season at USC, Miller burst onto the national scene by leading the Trojans to the NCAA women’s basketball championship. Although just a freshman, she was selected as the Most Outstanding Player (MOP) of the NCAA tournament because of her ability to dominate games with her all-around athleticism. In addition to having a shooting touch that made her dangerous from anywhere on the court, Miller was an intimidating defender and a dominating rebounder. In 1984 she led USC to another national title, and she was named MOP of the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year.
The offered shoes were worn by Miller during the 1984 NCAA Championship game vs. Tennessee. Photos style-match these shoes during the 1983-84 regular season and the 1984 title game. The white size 10.5 Converse shoes with red trim show excellent game wear. The right shoe features a large custom rubber support on the outer heel to middle portion of the sole. It is unlikely that a finer, more historically significant pair of game worn women’s basketball shoes have ever come up for auction. Miller followed up her two NCAA championship seasons by leading the U.S. women’s team to its first Olympic gold medal in the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Includes a Letter of Provenance from the Helms Athletic Foundation/LA84 Collection.