Frank Mason’s KU trophies are up for auction. He wants them back, but it’s complicated
Former University of Kansas star point guard Frank Mason III is trying to recover his Jayhawk memorabilia before a consignment auction by Grey Flannel Auctions set for May 22.
The story began to circulate across social media after the 2017 consensus men’s college basketball player of the year tweeted about wanting his Kansas memorabilia back on Sunday and Monday.
“Unfortunately, while playing in France, I entrusted EXTRA SPACE STORAGE in Sac with securing my unique items. However, in my absence and a situation beyond my control and unbeknownst to me, my trophies, championship rings, and sentimental items were sold to (Gray Flannel Auctions),” Mason tweeted on Sunday.
Mason didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment by The Star.
In an email to The Star on Tuesday, McKall Morris, communications and sustainability manager for Extra Space Storage, said the company “could not find any customer records under Frank Mason’s name” at their properties in Sacramento, adding: “We reached out to him to try to get details on who was the name on the lease so we could look into it but never heard back.”
The items Gray Flannel Auctions has listed include Mason’s Big 12 Championship rings, game-worn KU jerseys, Mason’s jerseys from the Sacramento Kings and NBA Draft Combine, Mason’s gold medal and jersey from the World University Games and AP National Player of the Year trophy
The auction will officially open on May 22 at 11 a.m. Pacific. The minimum bidding prices for the items range from $250-2500, depending on the item.
How did this happen?
Director of Operations at Gray Flannel Auctions, Michael Russek, spoke to The Star about how the company acquired Mason’s memorabilia. That happened, Russek said, because Mason missed payments on the storage space holding his items.
“Frank’s storage unit was sold to public auction due to his delinquency on payments,” Russek said, “and the items were purchased at public auction and consigned. We have been in contact with Frank and his representatives to see if there is anything we can do.”
Extra Space Storage, the company Mason said he contracted, provides a warning about late payments on its website.
“The length of time for a past-due account to be placed in auction varies by state law. We recommend that you contact the facility manager to discuss your account as soon as possible if your payment is late,” the site reads. “Extra Space Storage will provide written notice to your email address or physical address listed on your account, again depending on state law.
“Additionally, facility managers frequently try to contact any customer in default by phone prior to an auction process. As a customer, it’s your responsibility to make sure we have accurate, up-to-date contact information associated with your account and to pay your bill on time.”
Mason said the storage unit was located in Sacramento, so it would fall under California business regulations. Mason was a second-round NBA Draft selection by the Sacramento Kings in 2017 after his All-America 2016-17 senior season with the Jayhawks.
According to California business regulations amended in 2020: “If any part of the rent or other charges due from an occupant remain unpaid for 14 consecutive days, an owner may terminate the right of the occupant to the use of the storage space at a self-service storage facility” by sending written notice.
Then, after providing at least 14 additional days for a response, “the occupant’s right to use the storage space will terminate ... unless all sums due are paid by the occupant before the specified date.”
Morris, the Extra Space Storage representative, added that “(o)n average, tenants will have over two months of non-payment and consistent outreach from our team before they enter the auction process.”
Mason emphasized he would never willingly sell his memorabilia.
“Anyone that knows me personally; know that I would never sell anything I worked extremely hard for and most definitely not my memorabilia. It doesn’t matter what my financial status is, I would never, I am a hoarder and I love to keep everything for my family and legacy,” Mason said on Twitter.
“It wouldn’t matter if I had $0 in my account. My legacy is priceless, there’s no amount of money that can be offered for it!”
How does Mason get his memorabilia back?
Mason wants his items back and the auction house says it wants to find a happy resolution. But it’s a little more complicated than that.
Why?
“It’s going to take a little bit of juggling between all three parties to figure out if there is some middle ground here,” Russek said. “It’s an unfortunate situation; it’s not a question of title or authenticity. We understand Frank’s position and we are doing the best we can to come up with an amicable resolution between Frank and all the parties involved.”
Those parties would presumably be Mason, the auction house and consignor — plus anyone else involved in the transactions.
Russek noted the Gray Flannel Auctions website shows a screenshot of Mason’s storage unit being opened and a receipt from the auction.
A transaction invoice on the website says the contents of the storage container holding Mason’s items was purchased for $3,377.40, plus a buyer premium of $468 — or 15% of the $3,120 winning bid (pre-tax) for Mason’s items. The invoice was dated April 4, 2023.
“We are in contact with Frank and his legal team — we are doing the best we can to see what we can do with it,” Russek said. “It’s not an authenticity question. It’s not a title question. Now we are trying to see if we can get these back to Frank where everyone is comfortable with the outcome.
“We put our consignor and Frank in touch and (hope) to come to something that would obviously become a good story here.”
This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 7:00 AM.
