Acquisition: Stromile Swift Autographed Sneakers

For the past week or so I've been trying unsuccessfully to place this pair of size 16 Nikes on Stro's feet in an NBA game.  However, despite my inability to complete a photo match, I'm pretty confident this EBay pickup is legit.  The size is correct, the colors make sense, and Stro wore Nike for the entirety of his first stint with the Grizzlies.  The shoes arrived without insoles, which is a good sign because NBA players typically use customized insoles that they keep when they discard their old sneakers, and the signature looks authentic in comparison to all my other autographs.  On top of all that, I figure counterfeiters are too busy trying to forge Kobe or Jordan's signature to bother with something like this.

A solid addition to the collection, but the search for a verified pair of Stromile Swift game-worn sneakers continues.

Acquisition: Autographed Stromile Swift Illustration

There are acquisitions, and there are acqui-wait-all-day-at-the-door-for-the-UPS-truck-to-arrive-isitions.  This, obviously, is the latter. 

I commissioned this illustration to be created by Dustin Watson, the same artist responsible for my Gerald Green print.  Working with Dustin was a pleasure; he started and finished within the time frame outlined in the beginning, and the cost was very reasonable.  I suspect this won't be the last of his works to be displayed on my wall, and I highly suggest his services in bringing the NBA to your wall, too.

Dustin offers a variety of finishes, but this particular illustration is printed on a metallic paper, which looks downright incredible.  So incredible, in fact, I decided it needed a stamp of approval from the Stro Show himself.  Stromile received my request for a signature and obliged; so back in the mail went my package, on its way to the bayou.  Today, it made its much anticipated return, complete with a personal autograph.  Now all I've got to do is get it framed, and locate some real estate worthy of a masterpiece.

Big thanks to both Dustin Watson and Stromile Swift for making this outstanding piece of my collection possible.