This story was updated with the final sale price and other details following the auction
The eight-figure sum was more than double initial estimates, setting a new auction record for a piece of game-worn sports memorabilia, according to Sotheby’s, which organized the sale.
Jordan wore the Chicago Bulls jersey in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals, the culmination of a famous season known as “The Last Dance” that featured in a 2020 ESPN and Netflix documentary series of the same name. On June 3, 1998 Jordan pulled on the jersey for a game against the Utah Jazz, scoring 33 points in 45 minutes in a Bulls loss.
The Bulls went on to win the championship despite major internal divisions that had affected their season, with Jordan gaining his sixth NBA winners ring.
Michael Jordan’s game-worn 1998 NBA Finals jersey on display during a press preview at Sotheby’s on September 06, 2022. Credit: Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images
It is one of only two of his jerseys worn in a finals game to ever appear at auction, said Sotheby’s, which billed it as “one of the most significant items from Michael Jordan’s career.”
In a statement, Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectables, said the sale “solidifies Michael Jordan as the undisputed GOAT (greatest of all time), proving his name and incomparable legacy is just as relevant as it was nearly 25 years ago.”
Prior to the sale, Wachter had called the 1997-1998 season “perhaps one of the most popular among Jordan fans, as Michael was reaching the height of his abilities while simultaneously pursuing what he understood would be his last chance at an NBA Championship with the Chicago Bulls.”
“The season itself is his ‘magnum opus’ as an athlete, and a testament to him as a champion and competitor,” he added in a press release. “Finals jerseys from Jordan are remarkably scant, and the 1997-1998 Finals are arguably the most coveted of them all.”
Michael Jordan with Scottie Pippen on court during Game 1 vs Utah Jazz at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City. Credit: John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images
The pre-sale estimate of $3 million to $5 million was the highest ever for a Jordan jersey, or any piece of Jordan memorabilia, the auction house had said.
The shoes set a world record for the highest price achieved for a pair of sneakers at auction, according to Sotheby’s. They also became the first pair of sneakers to sell for more than $1 million at auction.
