1987 LOS ANGELES LAKERS WORLD CHAMPIONS 14K GOLD RING ISSUED TO ASST. COACH RANDY PFUND

After the unexpected loss to the Houston Rockets in the ’86 Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers regrouped and reemerged even stronger the following season. Powered by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson, the “Showtime” Lakers finished tops in the West with a 65-17 record before sweeping the Nuggets in the 1st round, beating the Warriors in the 2nd round and taking four straight from the Sonics in the Conference Finals. The team’s mantra that season was “Drive for Five,” symbolizing their pledge of bringing home a fifth World Championship to L.A. The only thing standing in their way was Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, the third time that decade the two cross-country rivals faced each other in The Finals. Magic battled Bird through six hard-fought games, with the Lakers prevailing and Johnson taking the Finals MVP honors.

This championship ring was issued to assistant coach Randy Pfund who helped hone the 1986-87 Lakers into the team that would “Drive for Five.” The top of the ring celebrates the Lakers’ fifth championship with five diamonds surrounded by “WORLD CHAMPION LAKERS 1987” in raised letters. The left shank has “PFUND” and the NBA logo surrounded by the team’s four previous world championship years. The right shank features the Lakers logo surrounded by team’s “DRIVE FOR FIVE” slogan and the tally of the championship series, “LA 4 BOS 2.” A 14K Jostens hallmark is found inside the ring. The size 12.5 ring (42g) shows light scuffing, surface dings and wear from use and age. A tremendous example of the ring celebrating the Lakers second ever triumph over the vaunted Celtics in the NBA Finals.