Michael Jordan has set another record nearly three decades after his final championship with the Chicago Bulls.
The white No. 23 jersey Jordan wore in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $12.26 million, making it the most expensive NBA game-worn jersey ever sold at auction. The sale was conducted through Joopiter, the auction platform founded by Pharrell Williams.
The result surpassed the previous NBA jersey record, which also belonged to Jordan. In 2022, the red jersey he wore in Game 1 of the same Finals sold for $10.091 million through Sotheby’s.
The Game 3 jersey comes from one of the most dominant Finals performances in NBA history.
Chicago returned home to the United Center with the series tied 1-1 and completely overwhelmed the Utah Jazz, winning 96-54. The 42-point margin remains the most lopsided victories in NBA Finals history and became one of the defining moments of the Bulls’ final championship run.
Jordan went on to lead Chicago to a 4-2 series victory, securing the franchise’s sixth championship in eight seasons and winning his sixth Finals MVP award. The 1998 title became the final chapter of the Bulls dynasty and the centerpiece of what would later become known as “The Last Dance.”
That historical significance has only increased the value of memorabilia from the series. According to Joopiter, the Game 3 jersey had been estimated to sell for between $10 million and $15 million. Its final price of $12.26 million now stands as the most expensive piece of Jordan memorabilia ever sold at auction.
The sale also shows just how powerful the market remains for items connected to Jordan’s final Bulls season. Two jerseys from the same Finals have now sold for more than $10 million apiece.
And while Jordan’s playing career ended decades ago, the value attached to his biggest moments continues to climb.
