Topline
A jersey worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals—a season documented in the hit 2020 ESPN docuseries The Last Dance—could sell for as much as $5 million when it’s put on the block next month, auctioneer Sotheby’s expects.
The game-worn jersey could sell for millions when it goes to auction next month.
Key Facts
Jordan wore the No. 23 red “away” jersey during Game 1 against the Utah Jazz, which was played in front of an “extremely hostile” Salt Lake City home crowd, Sotheby’s said.
A clip of Jordan dancing on the Bulls’ bus to R&B crooner Kenny Lattimore just before the game showed how Jordan kept his cool throughout his career, the auction house said, and was one of most memorable scenes in The Last Dance series.
While the Bulls lost the game, Jordan played for 45 minutes–the most time he spent on the court in any Finals, Sotheby’s said–and scored 33 points.
The Bulls ultimately won the title, Jordan’s sixth, and he cadged his sixth NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award—the most ever bestowed on one player.
Setting records comes naturally to Michael Jordan. If the winning bid falls between the jersey’s $3 million and $5 million auction estimate, it would far exceed the current record for memorabilia tied to Jordan’s career, which is held by a nearly $1.5 million pair of Nike sneakers Jordan wore during his first season with the Chicago Bulls.
In May, a rare basketball card also from Jordan’s rookie season sold for more than $1 million at a Christie’s auction.
Michael Jordan looks on during the first game of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz at the … [+]
Tangent
A jersey Sotheby’s said was worn by soccer star Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup quarter final match–when he scored his infamous “Hand of God” goal–sold for $9.3 million at auction earlier this year, the highest price fetched by a piece of sports memorabilia. The jersey surpassed the record $8.8 million paid in 2019 for the original Olympic Games manifesto, which led to the modern revival of the ancient Greek competition.
Key Background
The market for Jordan merchandise has surged since the 2020 premiere of The Last Dance, which chronicles the Bulls’ tumultuous 1997-98 season, and helped introduce the squad’s legendary lineup—which included stars like Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman—to a younger generation. The Last Dance’s premiere also coincided with the early months of the Covid-19 pandemic, when most professional sports leagues canceled games and many fans turned to collecting, causing demand for sports memorabilia to explode.
Further Reading
Diego Maradona’s ‘Hand Of God’ Jersey Sells For Record-Breaking $9.3 Million Amid Controversy (Forbes)
Rare Michael Jordan Rookie Basketball Card Could Sell For Up To $3 Million At Auction (Forbes)
Record-Breaking Sneakers: Michael Jordan’s Shoes Sell For $615,000 (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/carlieporterfield/2022/08/10/michael-jordan-jersey-from-the-last-dance-1998-nba-finals-up-for-auction/