A record-breaking day. Michael Jordan's iconic 1998 NBA Finals 'The Last Dance' jersey has sold for $10.1 million, setting records for a basketball jersey, any game-worn sports memorabilia, and most valuable #MichaelJordan item ever sold at auction. pic.twitter.com/7t8G98N5pW
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) September 15, 2022
According to auction house Sotheby's, the famed US basketball player Michael Jordan's Game 1 jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals set a record for the highest price ever paid for a piece of game-used sports memorabilia.
The red, number-23 jersey from Jordan's "Last Dance" season with the Chicago Bulls fetched 20 different bids, Sotheby's said in a statement on Thursday, more than doubling its $5m estimate.
The jersey is the most expensive piece of Jordan memorabilia ever sold, and the sale also sets a new record for a basketball jersey sold at auction.
The jersey is the most expensive piece of Jordan memorabilia to ever be sold, and the sale also establishes a new record for a basketball jersey sold at auction.
According to Sotheby's, Jordan wore the historic jersey during what is arguably the most well-known season of his illustrious and illustrious career, when the superstar solidified his status as the greatest basketball player of all time.
The jersey is one of just two Jordan NBA Finals jerseys that have ever been offered for auction, according to the auction house.
The Last Dance, a 2020 ESPN/Netflix documentary that chronicled the Chicago Bulls' quest for an unprecedented sixth NBA championship in eight seasons, reignited interest in Jordan's 1998 campaign.
The most watched NBA Finals series ever featured the Bulls versus the Utah Jazz, led by Karl Malone and John Stockton. It took place in 1998.
Additionally, it is seen as a testament to Jordan's abilities as a rival, a sportsman, and a teammate.
As per Brahm Wachter, head of streetwear and modern collectibles at Sotheby's, "today's record-breaking result, with an astounding 20 bids, solidifies Michael Jordan as the undisputed GOAT [Greatest of All Time], proving his name and incomparable legacy are just as relevant today as they were more than 25 years ago."
The Chicago Bulls traveled to Utah on June 3, 1998, for Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
The ESPN/Netflix documentary demonstrated that the home crowd was hostile toward the team, but Jordan didn't seem to be bothered by it. He can be seen dancing on the Bulls bus to R&B singer Kenny Lattimore in a now-famous scene.
Jordan earned his sixth NBA Finals MVP Award that year, and the Bulls went on to win their sixth NBA Championship.
According to Sotheby's, an autographed relic card from the 1997–1998 season set the previous record for any piece of Jordan's sports memorabilia when it sold for $2.7 million.
The most expensive basketball jersey ever sold was Kobe Bryant's game-used, autographed jersey from the 1996–1997 campaign that fetched $3.7 million.
The previous record for any piece of game-used sports memorabilia was held by Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" jersey, which sold for $9.3 million earlier this year, according to Sotheby's, before Jordan's jersey broke it on Thursday for $10.1 million.
The auction house has increased its offerings in recent years to include sneakers and sports memorabilia.
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