NFL star Mazi Smith has paid a heavy price after his storage unit full of sports memorabilia was sold off at auction – without his knowledge.
A TikToker named Vincent Broadway stumped up $1,880 for the unit in Ann Arbor, Michigan, not knowing what was inside.
And he discovered a treasure trove of memorabilia owned by the former Michigan star – including limited-edition, player-exclusive Nike sneakers worth around $20,000.
Broadway did not identify Smith by name but it was clear who he was talking about after describing the former owner as a Michigan player picked in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Smith played at defensive tackle for Michigan between 2019-22 before being drafted by the Dallas Cowboys with the 26th pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He was the only Wolverine taken in the first round of the NFL Draft last year.
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Broadway, who describes himself as a “reseller looking for cool finds,” posted a series of videos on TikTok of his lucrative purchase.
“I’m not going to lie to you,” Broadway said.
“I did not understand what I was dealing with when I started opening these.
“But what I saw was this cleat in the back, and it’s a Michigan Jordan cleat.
“These are player-exclusive [cleats] and they sell for between $600 to $700, and that was just the tip of the ice berg for this unit.”
Broadway then proceeds to show off boxes and boxes of exclusive Michigan shoes, plus a Louis Vuitton toiletry bag, boxes of Legos, unopened video games, expensive clothing and a giant gun safe.
“For those of you wondering how much I think all the shoes are worth, I have no idea. Maybe $20,000? Maybe more?” Broadway said.
He also opened what appeared to be a playbook from the Michigan football program.
It is unclear how Smith lost access to his storage unit and it ended up going for auction.
But it is likely because he stopped paying the storage company.
Now, though, the NFL star wants his property back.
“Mazi Smith was completely unaware that his personal belongings had been sold until he was sent the TikTok video of the man who purchased the storage unit where his belongings were being stored,” his attorney Levi G. McCathern II told the Daily Mail.
“Obviously, Mazi has been in constant motion since being drafted last year.
“In the course of moving and changing banks, payment for this unit somehow fell through the cracks.
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“Mazi obviously wants his possessions back, and we will immediately begin working towards that goal.
“We are hopeful that the individual in possession of Mazi’s unique personal items will cooperate with us on their speedy return.”