Salt Lake City – Preston Truman, who worked as a ball boy for the Utah Jazz from 1996 to 2000, is back in court. On August 12 he filed a complaint in Utah’s 3rd District Court against Jason Silverstein and his firm, GWC Holdings LLC, alleging that Silverstein fabricated an ownership claim that disrupted the Heritage Auctions sale of a pair of Kobe Bryant rookie‑playoff shoes.
Background on the shoes
In May 2023 Truman consigned the shoes to Heritage Auctions, the world’s third‑largest auction house, expecting a payout of at least $300,000. Heritage listed the shoes for auction, but months later the pair sold for only $99,000 after an ownership dispute surfaced.
Alleged ownership scheme
According to the lawsuit, Silverstein bought a 30% interest in the shoes through Collectable, a platform that lets investors purchase fractional shares of sports memorabilia. In March 2023 Truman paid Silverstein $30,000 to buy back that share, leaving Truman with “full, documented, and unencumbered title.”
Just days before the auction’s scheduled close, Heritage received a letter claiming an unknown party held a stake in the shoes. Truman alleges Silverstein was behind that letter, prompting Heritage to place a hold on the sale while Truman spent weeks proving sole ownership.
Impact on the auction
The dispute, Truman says, cast doubt over the title and scared off bidders. Although more than 400 people viewed the shoes on Heritage’s platform, only three bidders participated, and the final sale price was $99,000. After commission, Truman received $82,500.
Truman claims Silverstein’s motive was two‑fold: to extract additional money and to punish Truman for prior litigation that threatened Silverstein’s interests. He also alleges Silverstein knew Truman had recently lost his job and lacked “comparable financial resources,” using the dispute to exploit his vulnerability.
Previous litigation with GWC Holdings
This lawsuit follows a separate, ongoing legal battle between Truman and GWC Holdings over a different pair of shoes – a pair of Michael Jordan Air Jordan XIII “Breds” that sold for more than $2 million. Truman received the Jordan shoes directly from Michael Jordan after Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals. He sold them in 2020 for $215,000, later suing the broker for alleged coercion and low‑ball pricing. The shoes eventually fetched $2.238 million at auction in April 2023.
GWC’s involvement began in August 2022 when the original buyer transferred ownership of the Jordan shoes to GWC. GWC then consigned the shoes to Sotheby’s, but a letter from Truman’s attorney claiming a title dispute forced Sotheby’s to hold the proceeds in escrow. GWC sued Truman seeking a declaration that the original buyer had good title, a case that remains unresolved.
What Truman seeks
In the Kobe shoe lawsuit, Truman is asking for at least $200,000 in compensatory damages, plus punitive damages, restitution, attorney fees, and any other relief the court deems appropriate.
Local significance
The case underscores the complexities of sports‑memorabilia transactions and the importance of clear title documentation, especially for Utah residents who buy, sell, or invest in high‑value collectibles. It also highlights how personal financial pressures can become entangled in legal disputes over prized sports artifacts.
Both lawsuits remain active, and further court rulings will determine how much, if any, compensation Truman ultimately receives.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
