Hugh Hefner's 2000 Lakers Championship Ring to Be Sold at Auction

A Los Angeles Lakers championship ring from the 1999-2000 season is on the auction block, but the previous owner might be a surprise.

According to TMZ Sports, the ring was issued to the late founder of Playboy magazine Hugh Hefner. Late Lakers owner Jerry Buss was a longtime friend of Hefner, who died in 2017 at the age of 91.

The 14-karat gold ring with brilliant-cut diamonds was designed to the same specifications as those issued to the players after the Lakers defeated the Indiana Pacers in six games. The ring is available for bidding through SCP Auctions:

Hefner's last name is also engraved on one side of the ring, along with the inscriptions of the Lakers' regular season record (67-15) and playoff record (15-8) from the 1999-2000 season. The original Lakers presentation box will be included, and a letter of authenticity from the Hefner family will come with the ring as part of the auction.

The Lakers' win over the Pacers in 2000 kicked off the franchise's run of back-to-back-to-back championships. The famed Los Angeles squad, headlined by Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, remains the last team to three-peat in the NBA.