Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals jersey sells for $10.1 million
One of the consensus GOATs in American sports history just broke another record.
Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey sold for $10.1 million on Thursday, ESPN reported. The sale, which was administered by auction house Sotheby's, is a record for a game-worn jersey.
Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" 1986 World Cup jersey, which sold for $9.3 million, was the previous record for a jersey sale.
Brahm Wachter, Sotheby's head of streetwear and modern collectibles, marveled at the sale price for Jordan's jersey.
"In the weeks since we announced the auction, there's been palpable excitement from not only sports fans, but collectors alike who are eager to own a rarified piece of history," Wachter said. "[The] record-breaking result, with an astounding 20 bids, solidifies Michael Jordan as the undisputed GOAT, proving his name and incomparable legacy is just as relevant as it was nearly 25 years ago."
Jordan dropped 33 points in Game 1 for the Chicago Bulls in what was a losing effort against the Utah Jazz. That said, Chicago ultimately won the 1998 NBA Finals — a season referred to as the "Last Dance" — in six games with Jordan averaging 33.5 points per game in the series.
Game 6 of the series would be Jordan's last NBA playoff game. The series win marked Chicago's third consecutive NBA championship and sixth in eight years.
"The season itself is his 'magnum opus' as an athlete, and a testament to him as a champion and competitor," Wachter said. "Finals jerseys from Jordan are remarkably scant and the [1998] Finals are arguably the most coveted of them all."
Jordan spent 13 seasons with the Bulls and two with the Washington Wizards. He won six NBA championships, five MVPs and was a 14-time NBA All-Star.
