A game-worn Michael Jordan jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $12.3m (£9.3m), establishing a new record for any piece of Jordan memorabilia. The white jersey was worn during game three of the Finals, the championship-clinching series in which Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to their sixth and final title.
The auction closed on 29 September 2026 at Joopiter, the digital auction house founded by musician Pharrell Williams. According to reporting from a Chicago news outlet, the sale price of $12.26 million included the buyer's premium, though the purchaser's identity was not disclosed. The jersey had been put up for sale by entrepreneur Ryan Gough, who acquired it in 2023 from Chicago collector Bill Thoma.
Jordan's performance in that game exemplified his dominance during the Finals. According to the auction house's detailed records, he recorded 24 points, three rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block as the Bulls defeated their opponents 96–54. The Bulls' 54-point total marked the fewest points ever scored by a team in an NBA Finals game.
How does this compare to other Jordan memorabilia records?
The previous record for Jordan memorabilia stood at $10.1m (£7.6m), set by his game one jersey from the same 1998 Finals series. That jersey sold at Sotheby's in 2022 after attracting approximately 20 bids, according to national media coverage. The game three jersey's sale price represents a significant jump, driven partly by its historical significance as the final championship-clinching game of Jordan's career.
Joopiter's pre-auction estimate had placed the jersey between $10m and $15m (£7.5m–£11.3m). The auction house described it as the only publicly known white game-winning jersey from the 1998 Finals to have surfaced publicly.
What makes this jersey historically significant?
The jersey represents the culmination of Jordan's legendary career with the Bulls. He was named Finals Most Valuable Player in all six of his championship seasons, and the 1998 Finals marked his last appearance in the championship series. The Bulls defeated their opponents 4–2 to secure the title.
Joopiter stated in its auction posting that
few objects in the history of sport embody greatness as completely as Michael Jordan's game three jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals, adding that it
marks the culmination of an era that transformed basketball into a global cultural phenomenon.
The jersey underwent professional authentication by MeiGray in December 2015 and was photo-matched to two archival photographs from the game, establishing its provenance.
How does this rank among all sports memorabilia?
While the Jordan jersey sets a record for basketball memorabilia, it remains below the highest price ever paid for game-worn sports artifacts. The record belongs to a baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth during the 1932 World Series, when he famously "called the shot." That jersey sold for $24.1m (£18.2m) in 2024.
According to sports media reporting, the Jordan jersey attracted only a single bid at auction, suggesting strong conviction from the winning bidder rather than competitive bidding.
Key Facts
- The jersey sold for $12.26 million including buyer's premium on 29 September 2026 at Joopiter, a digital auction platform
- Jordan scored 24 points in the game as the Bulls won 96–54, the lowest-scoring Finals game in NBA history
- The previous record for Jordan memorabilia was $10.1 million for his game one jersey from the same 1998 Finals series
- The jersey was authenticated by MeiGray and photo-matched to archival photographs from the game
- It is the only publicly known white game-winning jersey from the 1998 Finals to have come to market
