In 1988, the birth of a brand new NBA franchise was a momentous occasion for the city of Miami. Although losing its first 17 games, they crawled to a 15-67 record. Miami Heat championship rings would not come for another 17 years.
Miami has begun to make a name for itself as the home of “young champions.” The Miami Dolphins brought home Super Bowl rings in 1973 and 1974 (1966 team birth) and the Florida Marlins (now Miami Marlins as of 2012) brought home World Series rings in 1997 and 2003 (1993 team birth).
Replica Heat championship rings for their 2006 NBA title have been listed on eBay on a regular basis. The lower end rings are a thick silver ring with the Heat logo in the middle and eight replaced diamond inserts surrounded by “World Champions” along with multiple inserts on the sides.
The 2006 Heat were a product of the Dwayne Wade and Shaquille O’ Neal duo that led them to a 52-30 record, which earned them a second seed in the playoffs and the eventual NBA championship, ousting the Bulls, the Nets, the Pistons and the Mavericks. The Heat won in six games and guard Dwayne Wade was named the Most Valuable Player for the series.
The 2005-2006 Heat were an amazing team with coach Pat Riley at the Helm. Wade and O’Neal were joined by veterans Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton, Jason Williams and Antoine Walker, all winning their first NBA championship that year.
The Heat would not return to the finals until 2011 when they ironically faced the Dallas Mavericks again, but lost in six games despite a huge buildup prior to the season after the arrival of LeBron James and Chris Bosh as high-priced free agents. With LeBron, D-Wade and company expected to play at a high level for several more years, don’t be surprised if you see more replica Miami Heat championship rings online.
