The History, Legacy & Cost Of An NBA Championship Ring
An NBA Championship ring is a symbol of success. It serves as recognition for all the effort and commitment made in order to reach the highest level of professional basketball. A championship ring from the NBA is more than simply jewelry. Instead, it is a representation of triumph over hardship.
The NBA has been around since 1946 and there have been many champions crowned throughout its existence. Each with their own story to tell about their journey to glory. In this blog post, we will give you some history on NBA rings and how they are made. As well as give an in-depth look at how much one costs!
The First NBA Championship, and Rings
The first-ever NBA Championship was held between Philadelphia Warriors and Chicago Stags back in 1947. After which two more teams were added: Providence Steamrollers and Washington Capitols.
The NBA Finals were created to determine the best team in the league which was, at that time, called World Basketball Championship. This tradition has continued until today where NBA Finals are held every year between two teams who win their respective conference championships.
The NBA championship ring is given out by each winning player of an NBA title. Since its inception as a symbol of celebration for achieving success against all odds.
How Much Does an NBA Championship Ring Cost?
This piece of jewelry could initially appear to be mostly about the bling-bling element. Nevertheless, this couldn’t be further from the reality because there is so much more to these rings than first appears. The majority of people mistakenly believe they can simply go out and purchase one of these NBA championship rings, but that is not at all true.
It can cost up to $100,000 for a ring from one NBA team alone. NBA championship rings are made of 14K gold with diamonds, rubies, or sapphires being the stone of choice for NBA teams that have won titles in the last decade.
An estimated cost of production per ring is $5000-$6000. But when you take into account other costs like marketing, this price goes up significantly (sometimes double).
Going All Out!
Let’s say your favorite NBA team wins their first championship title after 18 years of trying. Do you think they would give out cheap NBA championship rings? Of course not! They are going to make the best ones possible. Because it’s a sign of celebration for their fans and players alike!
NBA teams have been known to add other valuable stones to their rings in addition to a lot of diamonds since it’s crucial to them that they stand apart from all prior NBA championship rings.
This is especially true if another club wins back-to-back championships, which has occurred numerous times in NBA history.
Making the NBA Championship Ring
The process behind making one starts way before the ring is made with designs being drawn up by hand or using computer software. Once approved the design goes through many more revisions.
After about a few weeks it finally gets sent off to multiple stone-cutters who cut out diamonds and other precious stones into specific shapes & patterns. This will ultimately become part of an NBA championship ring.
Before the ring is eventually put together with diamonds all around it, NBA championship rings undergo a rigorous polishing procedure after the stones are cut to make them look as smooth and bright as possible.
The manufacturing process is extremely expensive and time-intensive. Because it takes a team effort to make them. Starting with design until they’re ready to be presented to winning players on stage after an NBA Finals game!
On average there are between 100- 200 hours put into making each ring which translates into several months’ work.
NBA Championship Rings are packaged in boxes with a letter of authenticity from NBA management after assembly and quality control (which includes inspecting for any pieces that were damaged during shipping). This authenticates it and grants it approval!
Customizing the NBA Championship Ring
However, it doesn’t stop there. Many players have been known to customize their rings with their personal touches as well as inscriptions on them which can result in an even pricier product.
Some examples are Kobe Bryant who had his daughter’s name inscribed on his 2009 Lakers Championship ring. And Dwyane Wade whose 2006 Miami Heat NBA Finals’ Ring was embellished with diamonds encrusting the trophy logo.
The design itself is a mix between creativity and tradition: Each player gets a personalized NBA championship ring designed according to their preferences; while also adhering to NBA guidelines such as the NBA logo, team name, and motto.
NBA also has a list of pre-approved vendors who are allowed to produce NBA championship rings.
How To Determine The Value of NBA Championship Rings
Each championship ring is the result of skilled craftsmanship. They also serve as a monument to the accomplishments and teamwork throughout the competition. Hence, if discussing the material element alone is insufficient, we must also discuss the spiritual element.
It is what makes the difference in the cost of each NBA championship ring. Depending on the winning team, as well as the players in possession, we will determine their value.
- The Team – The championship team’s performance in the tournament is one of the factors that determine the cost of NBA rings. If you choose a ring from a team that has made its mark in history, its value will be much higher. A few legendary teams that you can refer to are:
- Boston Celtics (1986).
- Lakers (1987 and 2001).
- Chicago Bulls (1996).
- These teams mentioned above have been in excellent form in the year in which they participated. Fans love them for that. So a lot of people are willing to pay a very high price for these NBA championship rings.
- The Player – The popularity of a basketball player also tells us how much an NBA ring is worth. Surely Michael Jordan’s ring will be worth a lot more than the average NBA player. Another example is Kobe Bryant. In honor of his dedication to the Lakers, they crafted a $150,000 ring. People considered this ring as one of the most expensive NBA rings in NBA history on the market.
- The History – There are matches that have gone deep into the hearts of fans. Tense or satisfying matches that have made their mark over time will have a very high moral value. And these will affect the NBA champion rings’ cost. A prime example is the historic victory of Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Down 3-1 and the City’s 1st professional sports championship in 52 years!! That’s why they had a convincing NBA championship. Naturally, the rings of this period are very expensive. And if you’re lucky enough to own the NBA championship ring, congratulations. It’s a mini bank!
Most Expensive NBA Championship Rings Ever
The most expensive NBA Championship Ring ever created was the one that NBA legend Michael Jordan received after leading the Chicago Bulls to their third consecutive NBA Championship in 1993.
Jordan’s Ring cost $200,000 and over 50 carats of diamonds were used on it! It was encrusted with hundreds of stones measuring at least a half-carat each which explains its hefty price tag; however, this ring also included four rubies as well as an inscription that read “World Champions.”
The next most expensive NBA championship rings ever made are those from NBA legends Kareem Abdul Jabbar (the 1995 Milwaukee Bucks ring), Dr. J Julius Erving (Bucks’ 1977 NBA Finals’ Ring), and Bill Russell who all had special inscriptions engraved alongside other personal touches such as the NBA logo, the NBA trophy, player numbers, and team name.
Can Anyone Have an NBA Championship Ring?
Let me get this straight to the point though, ANYONE can have an NBA Championship Ring, but only a select few actually EARN the championship ring. And those the the athletes, the staff. and the coaches, that are part of the team for that season when a team won the championship.
An NBA Championship Ring can belong to NBA players, their immediate family members, and business partners.
An NBA Championship Ring can also be acquired via auctions: NBA Finals’ Rings are auctioned off after each NBA season ends with proceeds going to various charities chosen by the winning team’s captain or coach.
NBA Championship Rings can also be bought by NBA fans and collectors. Many NBA memorabilia stores are selling NBA rings online – just remember that if you’re going to buy one of these, it’s best to do your research and only purchase from a reputable seller!
An NBA championship ring is an exquisite piece of jewelry that not only signifies victory over adversity but is the fruit of laborious hard work as well as creative thinking on behalf of those who craft them.
Conclusion
An NBA Championship Ring isn’t about being flashy or showing off wealth – It’s about showcasing unity between individuals who achieved success together through hard work & dedication. They aren’t cheap rings but when you think about the cost of NBA tickets plus the price for NBA Finals merchandise then it’s almost a small fee to pay.
In conclusion, NBA Championship Rings are about NBA history and NBA tradition which makes them not only beautiful pieces of jewellery but emblems that represent the NBA as a whole.
