A white Chicago Bulls basketball jersey worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $12.26 million at the digital auction house Joopiter. The sale sets a new all-time record for the highest price ever paid for a basketball jersey at auction.
Record Sale at Joopiter Auction House
The auction featured the number 23 jersey that Jordan wore during the third game of the 1997-98 NBA Finals. That postseason marked the end of Jordan’s career with the Chicago Bulls, a final championship run later immortalized by the Netflix documentary series “The Last Dance”. The final bidding price reached $12.26 million, surpassing all previous basketball memorabilia sales.
Previous Basketball Memorabilia Records
The previous record for a basketball jersey was also held by a Michael Jordan item from the same championship series. In 2022, Sotheby’s sold a jersey worn by Jordan during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals for $10.1 million. The newly auctioned Game 3 jersey now stands as the most expensive basketball jersey ever sold.
The 1998 Championship Season Context
Netflix released the documentary “The Last Dance” in 2020, chronicling Jordan’s final season with the Chicago Bulls. During the 1997-98 campaign, the Bulls secured their sixth NBA title under head coach Phil Jackson by defeating the Utah Jazz 4-2 in the finals. That roster featured core players including Jordan and Scottie Pippen, capping an era that included titles in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, and 1997. Following the 1998 championship, Jordan retired from the NBA for the second time before returning three years later to play two seasons with the Washington Wizards.
Comparison with Sport Collectible Records
Despite setting a basketball milestone, the Jordan jersey remains below the all-time world record for any piece of sports memorabilia. In 2024, a jersey worn by New York Yankees baseball legend Babe Ruth during the 1932 World Series was sold for $24.1 million, maintaining the highest price ever paid for a historical sports artifact.
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