Seth Udinski, FISM News
In another massive sports memorabilia transaction, a game-used Michael Jordan Jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals was sold for a record $10.1 million, according to a report from ESPN on Thursday.
A piece of history from Michael Jordan's "Last Dance" just set the record for most money paid for an item of sports memorabilia 💰
More: https://t.co/0YAc3L0C9S pic.twitter.com/JpFu5vtXqO
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 15, 2022
The ESPN report reveals that the Jordan jersey becomes the new record holder for most expensive game-used sports item ever sold. The previous record holder was the famed “Hand of God” jersey worn by legendary soccer star Diego Maradona, which sold for over $9 million this past spring.
Fans will not be surprised at the amount of money, as Jordan is considered to be the greatest NBA player of all time and one of the greatest professional athletes in American history.
Jordan wore this very jersey as he won the sixth and final NBA championship of his storied career with the Chicago Bulls. The jersey has become known as the “Last Dance” jersey, a tribute to the nickname given to the 1998 Bulls. That season would prove to be the last of a decade-long dynasty under Jordan, star forward Scottie Pippen, and head coach Phil Jackson.
The dynasty was both high in talent and high in drama. The Bulls completed two separate “three-peat” championships, the first from 1991 to 1993. After the ’93 season, Jordan suddenly announced his retirement from basketball, only to return to the Bulls 18 months later. He led the team on the second run of championship dominance from 1996 to 1998. After the “Last Dance” season, Jackson, Jordan, and many others left the team due to conflict with controversial GM Jerry Krause, resulting in the dismantling of the dynasty.
Jordan was wearing that same jersey when he sealed the Bulls’ sixth championship with a brilliant step-back jumper to beat the Utah Jazz in game 6 of the 1998 Finals, 87-86:
On this day 23 years ago, Michael Jordan hit the game-winning jumper to give the Bulls their sixth NBA championship 👏🏼
One of the most clutch shots of all time 🔥pic.twitter.com/KKcovFeXHJ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 14, 2021
The transaction comes as the 1990s Bulls’ dynasty is popular among the national conscience, following the 2020 release of the popular docu-series “The Last Dance” on Netflix. The series takes a deep dive into both the Bulls’ 1998 season and Jordan’s legendary career with the team.