Michael Jordan’s ‘last dance’ jersey sells for record $12.3m – Report

Michael Jordan came out of retirement for two more seasons with the Washington Wizards from 2001-2003 GETTY IMAGES

Michael Jordan’s jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $12.3 million (£9.3 million), setting a new record for Jordan memorabilia as reported by BBC Sport on Thursday.

The Chicago Bulls jersey was worn by Jordan during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals, the season later immortalised as his “Last Dance”.

Jordan led the Bulls to a 4-2 series victory over the Utah Jazz, securing his sixth and final NBA championship.

He was also named Finals Most Valuable Player for the sixth time.

The sale surpasses the previous record for Jordan memorabilia, $10.1 million (£7.6 million) paid for his jersey from Game 1 of the 1998 Finals.

The jersey was sold by entrepreneur Ryan Gough through Joopiter, the digital auction house founded by Pharrell Williams.

It had been estimated to sell for between $10 million and $15 million.

“Few objects in the history of sport embody greatness as completely as Michael Jordan’s game three jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals,” Joopiter said in its auction listing.

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“Worn during the Last Dance… it marks the culmination of an era that transformed basketball into a global cultural phenomenon.”

The auction house added that the jersey “stands among the most important game-worn sports artifacts ever to come to market.”

Jordan memorabilia has continued to command major prices at auction. His 1997 Ferrari 550 Maranello also recently sold for $2.7 million, four times the previous auction record for the model.

Despite the latest sale, Jordan’s jersey does not hold the record for the most expensive game-worn sports memorabilia.

That distinction belongs to Babe Ruth’s jersey associated with his famous “called shot” during the 1932 World Series, which sold for $24.1 million (£18.2 million) in 2024.

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