Just ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 1997-1998 NBA season, Sotheby’s will offer a jersey attributed to wear by Michael Jordan in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals—his last season with the Chicago Bulls.
Carrying an estimate of $3-5 million – marking the highest auction estimate for a Michael Jordan jersey, as well as any piece of Michael Jordan memorabilia – the red road jersey will be the only item in the auction, which is set to take place next month.
A Sotheby’s representative tells SC Daily the jersey has been in the hands of a private collector. It’s one of only two Jordan Finals jerseys to ever appear at auction from any of his six championships. It carries authentication from MeiGray.
This shirt was frequently shown in Episode 10 of ESPN’s The Last Dance and was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated in June 1998 following the Finals.
Jordan donated one of his Finals home jerseys to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in 2016.
Sotheby’s recently sold Diego Maradona’s 1986 World Cup jersey for $9.3 million, which stands as the most paid for any sports jersey.
Game 1 of the 1998 Finals saw the Bulls arrive in Utah to face a hostile home crowd in their “Last Dance” season, commemorated in the 2020 ESPN documentary. Though the Bulls ultimately lost, Jordan played 45 minutes in the game – the most of any contest in the finals – and helped send the game to overtime, registering 33 points in the iconic red shirt.
Jordan went on to earn his sixth NBA Finals MVP award as the Bulls rallied to capture their last title as team management opted to move on from coach Phil Jackson and Jordan eventually finishing his career as a member of the Washington Wizards.
The 1998 Jordan jersey will be on exhibition in Monterey, California from next before returning to the company’s New York offices for exhibition from September 6-12. Bidding will open September 6 and run through September 14.
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