Famous American basketball player Michael JordanAuction house Sotheby’s has announced that the 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey has been auctioned for $10.1 million – a record for any sports memorabilia worn in the game.
Sotheby’s said in a statement Thursday, the red number 23 jersey from Jordan’s “Last Dance” season with the Chicago Bulls received 20 separate bids.
The sale also sets a new record for a basketball jersey sold at auction, and the jersey is the most valuable of Jordan’s memorabilia ever sold.
The historic jersey was worn during what is arguably the most famous season of Jordan’s legendary career and period, as the superstar cemented his legacy as the greatest basketball player ever. all time,” said Sotheby’s.
According to the auction house, the shirt is one of two NBA Finals jerseys from Jordan that have appeared at auction.
A record day. Michael Jordan’s iconic 1998 NBA Finals ‘The Last Dance’ jersey has sold for $10.1 million, setting a record for a basketball jersey, any sports memorabilia Which wear in the game and have the most value #Michael Jordan Item was sold at auction. pic.twitter.com/7t8G98N5pW
– Sotheby’s (@Sothebys) September 15, 2022
Interest in Jordan’s 1998 season was rekindled after the 2020 ESPN/Netflix documentary titled The Last Dance, detailing the Chicago Bulls’ efforts to land the title. sixth NBA championship in eight seasons.
The 1998 NBA Finals, which saw the Bulls play against the Utah Jazz, led by Karl Malone and John Stockton, was the most-watched NBA Finals series ever.
It also serves as a testament to Jordan as a competitor, sportsman and teammate.
Yet again, today’s record-breaking results, with an incredible 20 bids, solidify Michael Jordan as the undisputed GOAT. [Greatest of All Time]proves his name and incomparable legacy is still as relevant as it was almost 25 years ago,” Brahm Wachter, Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectibles, said in a statement. declare.
Game 1
On June 3, 1998, the Chicago Bulls traveled to Utah for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The home crowd was hostile to the team, but as the ESPN/Netflix documentary shows, Jordan didn’t seem to flinch from the pressure. There’s a famous scene now where he’s groping on the Bulls bus to meet the R&B singer Kenny Lattimore.
Sotheby’s said that while the Bulls lost by 3 points in game 1, Jordan played 45 minutes – the most of any game in the final. He also scored 33 points to help send the game into extra time.
That season, the Bulls went on to win their 6th NBA Championship, and Jordan won his 6th NBA Finals MVP Award.
The previous record for any Jordanian sports memorabilia was a signed relic tag from 1997-1998, which sold for $2.7 million, according to Sotheby’s.
Kobe Bryant’s signature and in-game jersey from the 1996-1997 season, which sold for $3.7 million, previously held the record for basketball jerseys.
Before Jordan’s jersey sold for $10.1 million on Thursday, the previous record for any in-game sporting memorabilia was set by Diego MaradonaSotheby’s said the “Hand of God” jersey made $9.3 million earlier this year.
In recent years, the auction house has expanded to sports shoes and sports shoes memorabilia space.
Sotheby’s currently holds the record for most valuable sneakers sold at auction, with Michael Jordan’s earliest known regular season Nikes worn in the game sold for $1.5 million last year.
