Bill Sharman was a tremendous athlete who played a dozen years in the NBA, but also played six seasons in the minor leagues as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and although he was brought up to the Major League team, Sharman did not get into a game. After his collegiate career at the University of Southern California, where he played basketball and baseball, Sharman was selected in the second round of the 1950 draft by the Washington Capitols, one of the original NBA franchises. Never heard of them? It might just be because during that first season for Sharman, his rookie season in the NBA, the Washington Capitols team disbanded during their fifth season, after suffering through a 10-25 record.

      At the time the team finished up, Sharman had led his team in scoring with a 12.2 PPG record. It was during this brief 35 game “season” for Sharman he wore this green durene jersey which contains gold lettering and piping. The front has the team name “WASHINGTON CAPITOLS” sewn across front in yellow tackle twill, with Sharman’s number “10” sandwiched between.  The number “10” is also sewn on the reverse and all lettering is in gold tackle twill. Within the inside tail are three all original stitched tags including the “Rawlings Nu-Tex” manufacturers tag, with size “40” tag and “Dry Clean” wash tag. The jersey itself does exhibit great use with puckering of the numbers and letters, but does not contain any holes, rips or tears. In addition, for the sake of accuracy there are five very small white spots, which do not detract in any way the condition or eye appeal of this fantastic jersey. All the factors with this jersey are similar to jerseys worn in period images, including several of Sharman wearing this jersey, plus the style of the tagging is consistent with what Rawlings supplied teams during the early 1950s.

      This is a very rare shirt in impeccable condition from a Hall of Fame player used in his rookie season! This shirt compares very favorably to period images, and is the first example we have seen of both team (Capitols) and player. Bill Sharman is one of only four players to be inducted into the basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a coach, with the others being John Wooden, Lenny Wilkins and Tommy Heinsohn. He was a 10-time NBA Champion, having won four titles as a player with the Boston Celtics, one as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, and five as a Lakers executive, and won two more titles in the ABA and old ABL.

      Bill Sharman was included as one of the Top 50 NBA players during their 50^th Anniversary all-time team. This is the first ever known jersey of this very early NBA team, and it was worn by their most famous player, basketball Hall of Famer and all-time great Bill Sharman. It is arguably one of the most significant basketball jerseys ever offered at auction. This jersey comes with a full LOA from MEARS, who have noted in their LOA that this is the first example of both team (Capitols) and player (Sharman) they have evaluated, and have graded this jersey a perfect A10. 

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