Aug. 10 (UPI) — A Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Michael Jordan in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals — a game won by the Utah Jazz — is expected to sell for $3 million to $5 million at auction, Sotheby’s announced Wednesday.
Bidding will start Sept. 6 for the jersey, which Jordan could be seen wearing in the recent documentary “The Last Dance.”
“The 1997-1998 season is perhaps one of the most popular among Jordan fans, as Michael was reaching the height of his abilities while simultaneously pursuing what he understood would be his last chance at an NBA championship with the Chicago Bulls,” Sotheby’s head of streetwear and modern collectables Brahm Wachter said in a news release.
“The season itself is his ‘magnum opus’ as an athlete, and a testament to him as a champion and competitor. Finals jerseys from Jordan are remarkably scant, and the 1997-1998 Finals are arguably the most coveted of them all.”
Jordan averaged a league-high 32.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 2.8 steals per game in the 1997-98 season. He went on to win his sixth title and NBA Finals MVP honors that postseason.
The Utah Jazz beat Jordan’s Bulls 88-85 in Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals. Jordan scored a game-high 33 points in the overtime loss. He averaged 33.5 points per game, the most for any player, in the six-game series.
Jordan retired, for the second time of his career after that season. He returned to the NBA in 2001 to play for the Washington Wizards, and left pro basketball for the final time after the 2002-03 season with the Wizards.
