A major theft involving the Miami Heat may have led to one of the biggest sports memorabilia heists on record. According to NBA analyst Amin Elhassan, millions of dollars worth of authenticated, game-worn Heat gear — including Finals jerseys — was stolen and sold over the past year and a half.
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Appearing on the Dan LeBatard Show, Elhassan said the operation lasted at least 18 months and involved both black market and mainstream sales. He described it as "one of the largest heists of this kind," noting that the stolen memorabilia came directly from the Heat's storage.
The items were reportedly tied to big-name players, with Elhassan noticeably reacting when co-host Israel Gutierrez floated the possibility of the gear belonging to franchise legends like Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.
"You never see people with this much stuff," Elhassan said. "You might get a game-worn jersey, but to get a game-worn full set, NBA Finals, for multiple players?"
The unusually large volume of high-value memorabilia began to raise red flags within the collecting community. According to Elhassan, more than one person was behind the scheme. He said one of them had ties to the NBA and another was believed to be a Miami law enforcement officer.
The Heat have made two Finals appearances in the past five seasons, including 2023 and 2020. The franchise's last championship-level run featuring LeBron James came in 2014.
As of now, no arrests have been announced. Neither the NBA nor the Heat responded to the New York Post's requests for comment, and the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office could not be reached.
The full extent of the investigation remains unclear.
