Michael Jordan’s 1998 Finals jersey sells for record $12.3 million

A jersey worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $12.3 million (£9.3 million), setting a new auction record for Jordan memorabilia, according to BBC Sport. The Chicago Bulls jersey was worn during Game 3 of the series against the Utah Jazz. The 1998 season was later widely associated with Jordan’s “Last Dance”, and the Bulls eventually won the best-of-seven series 4-2.

Jordan was named the Finals’ Most Valuable Player for the sixth time after the championship, which was the sixth and final NBA title of his career. The latest sale surpasses the $10.1 million previously paid for his jersey from Game 1 of the same Finals. The jersey was sold by entrepreneur Ryan Gough through Joopiter, the digital auction house founded by Pharrell Williams.

It had been estimated to fetch between $10 million and $15 million. Joopiter described the item in its auction listing as one of the most significant game-worn sporting artefacts to reach the market. The auction house said its importance reflected both Jordan’s sporting achievements and the wider impact of the period on basketball’s international popularity.

Jordan memorabilia has continued to attract high prices. His 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello recently sold for $2.7 million, reportedly four times the previous auction record for that model. The new sale does not set the overall record for game-worn sports memorabilia.

That mark belongs to a Babe Ruth jersey linked to his “called shot” during the 1932 World Series, which sold for $24.1 million (£18.2 million) in 2024.