The rise in popularity of the “Storage Wars” family of TV shows has drawn many newcomers into the storage auction game with the lure of “easy money.” For many bidders however, the primary excitement lies in the unknown. Behind every door could be a gold mine…or fool’s gold.
At a recent storage unit auction in Maryland, Adrian Petrus had no idea what he was in for when he bought a default storage unit for $300. So imagine his surprise when he discovered a room full of memorabilia from the playing career of 8-time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo.
Memorabilia Found in Unit
Among the items were signed basketballs, boxes upon boxes of sneakers, trading cards, personal photos of Mutombo with a wide range of celebrities and jerseys going back as far as his days playing collegiately at Georgetown University.
How did this storage unit one would assume belonged to Mutombo fall into default? As it turns out the unit was being rented to his brother, who missed several months of payments after he had to make an unexpected return to the Congo (where the Mutombo family is from originally) to handle a family matter.
Upon learning of the circumstances surrounding the storage unit, Petrus made contact with the former NBA star with the hopes of making an equitable deal for their return, but he has yet to hear back from Mutombo or any of his representatives.
It just goes to show…you really never do know what you’ll find when you open the door to a storage unit.