CHICAGO – A jersey worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $12.26 million, setting a new auction record for memorabilia associated with the basketball legend and marking another milestone in the market for historic sports collectibles.
The white Chicago Bulls No. 23 shirt was worn during Game 3 of the Finals against the Utah Jazz on 7 June 1998, part of the season later immortalised in the documentary series The Last Dance. The sale took place on Tuesday through Joopiter, the digital auction platform founded by musician and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams.
The jersey was offered by collector and entrepreneur Rob Gough, with its pre-sale estimate set between $10 million and $15 million. The final price exceeded the previous record for Jordan memorabilia, established in 2022 when his game-worn jersey from Game 1 of the same Finals sold for $10.091 million.
Jordan wore the shirt as the Bulls secured a commanding 96-54 victory over Utah at Chicago’s United Center, giving the team a 2-1 lead in the series. He scored 24 points in the game, helping Chicago move closer to what would become its sixth NBA championship and his final title with the franchise.
The 1997-98 campaign marked the end of the Bulls’ celebrated championship era under coach Phil Jackson. Chicago went on to defeat the Jazz 4-2 in the Finals, completing its second three-title run of the decade.
Joopiter’s auction listing described the jersey as a significant artefact from a season that helped shape basketball’s global profile. The auction house also identified it as the only publicly known white jersey worn by Jordan in a Bulls victory during the 1998 Finals to have appeared on the market.
Despite the record-breaking result, the sale remains below the highest price ever paid at auction for a game-worn sports item. That distinction belongs to Babe Ruth’s jersey from the 1932 World Series, associated with his famous “called shot”, which fetched $24.12 million in 2024.
The latest sale underlines the continued demand for memorabilia linked to Jordan, whose achievements with the Bulls and influence on basketball culture have made his game-worn equipment among the most sought-after items in sports collecting.