[ Outline ] · Standard · Linear+ 2 years in the making, Wang ZhiZhi signed basketball

[mikejohnj]

I'm a handyman and two years ago I put up a cedar fence for a customer. In the meantime, my boss and a few other people went to the same customers house to do other repairs and whatnot. Don't know how the conversation got started but my boss who in no way follows sports, told the customer that I collect cards and sports memorabilia. Today, I get a call from the customer asking for me to come out and take a look at tile repair and insisted that I come out myself. My boss is good for playing me off like I did something wrong. Thinking that I was in trouble for something, I was kind of reluctant to go out there but I did. The customer met me at the door and had a signed basketball in a display case. Anyway, she said here's your tip for my fence. I hope the Nolan Ryan autographed cap you have will look good in it. (meaning the display case) I was happy to get something to put my Ryan cap in and didn't have a clue who the signature was until I got home a couple of hours ago. There was a photo in there with a crude COA from her son. Autographed by Wang ZhiZhi at team hotel outside Phoenix Arizona during the 2000-2001 basketball season

If you don't know who he is, he was the first Chinese basketball player to be drafted into the NBA by the Dallas Mavericks in 1999 but didn't get to play until 2000-01 season because the Chinese army would not let him leave. Looking around online, I found no other signed basketballs from him anywhere leading me to believe that this is a significant find.

Not bad for free.

[osufan2383]

very nice tip and job on the customers part