A white Chicago Bulls jersey worn during Jordan’s final championship season has become the most expensive NBA game-worn jersey ever sold at auction.

Michael Jordan jersey history reached another milestone this week when the white No. 23 uniform he wore in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $12.26 million. The sale set a new public auction record for an NBA game-worn jersey and surpassed the roughly $10.1 million paid in 2022 for Jordan’s Game 1 jersey from the same Finals. The result shows how Jordan’s final Chicago Bulls championship run continues to carry enormous value nearly three decades later.

Michael Jordan jersey sets a new NBA auction record

The jersey was sold through JOOPITER, the digital auction platform founded by Pharrell Williams. The auction house had estimated the piece would sell for between $10 million and $15 million. The final price, including the buyer’s premium, was $12.26 million.

The sale eclipsed the previous NBA jersey record held by another Jordan artifact. In September 2022, the jersey Jordan wore in Game 1 of the 1998 Finals sold at Sotheby’s for about $10.1 million.

JOOPITER described the Game 3 jersey as one of the most significant pieces of game-worn basketball history to reach the market. The auction listing said, “Few objects in the history of sport embody greatness as completely” as the jersey.

The buyer was not publicly identified. Entrepreneur Rob Gough, also reported as Ryan Gough in some coverage, consigned the jersey for sale. Because published reports differ on the seller’s first name, the Utica Phoenix is not relying on that detail beyond noting that the jersey came from a private collector.

Why Game 3 of the 1998 Finals mattered

The Michael Jordan jersey was worn on June 7, 1998, when the Chicago Bulls hosted the Utah Jazz at the United Center. The series was tied 1-1 after the first two games in Utah.

Chicago then delivered one of the most lopsided wins in NBA Finals history. The Bulls defeated the Jazz 96-54, holding Utah to what remains the lowest point total by a team in an NBA Finals game. According to Basketball-Reference, Jordan scored 24 points, grabbed three rebounds, handed out two assists, and added one steal and one block in 32 minutes.

The victory gave Chicago a 2-1 series lead. The Bulls eventually won the Finals in six games, capturing their sixth championship in eight seasons. Jordan was named Finals MVP for the sixth time.

The season remembered as “The Last Dance”

The 1997-98 season became known as “The Last Dance” because it marked the end of the Bulls dynasty built around Jordan, Scottie Pippen and coach Phil Jackson. The phrase later became the title of ESPN’s 2020 documentary series about the team and Jordan’s final championship run in Chicago.

Jordan ended the 1998 Finals with one of the most famous shots in basketball history, hitting the go-ahead jumper against Utah late in Game 6. That basket helped seal Chicago’s sixth championship and became one of the defining images of his career.

Why the Michael Jordan jersey is so valuable

Collectors place a premium on game-worn items that can be tied to important moments with strong documentation. This jersey checks several of those boxes.

• It was worn during Jordan’s sixth and final championship season with Chicago.
• It was used in a specific NBA Finals game.
• Chicago won that game in historic fashion.
• The jersey includes the distinctive 1998 NBA Finals patch.
• The piece has been photo-matched and is accompanied by authentication and provenance documentation.

JOOPITER said the jersey came with a MeiGray photomatching certificate and a letter of provenance. Photo-matching compares details such as stitching, mesh patterns, numbers, logos and fabric characteristics with high-resolution game photographs. That process can help establish that a specific item was worn in a particular contest.

The combination of rarity, documentation and cultural importance helps explain why the Michael Jordan jersey attracted an eight-figure price.

The sale is huge, but it is not the overall sports record

The $12.26 million result is a record for an NBA game-worn jersey and a record for Jordan memorabilia sold at public auction. But it is not the highest price ever paid for a sports collectible.

That record belongs to Babe Ruth’s jersey from Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. Heritage Auctions sold the Ruth jersey for $24.12 million in 2024. The jersey is tied to the famous and still-debated “called shot” home run at Wrigley Field.

That comparison also gives New York sports fans an interesting link between two of the biggest names in American sports. Ruth, a New York Yankees icon, still holds the broader memorabilia record, while Jordan now owns the NBA jersey record.

Sports memorabilia has become a serious collectibles market

The rise in prices for elite game-used items reflects a larger change in the collectibles business. Sports cards, sneakers, jerseys and equipment once traded mainly among hobbyists. Today, the rarest pieces can attract wealthy collectors, investment-minded buyers and institutions.

Still, collectors should be cautious. A large sale price does not mean every old jersey, card or autograph will rise in value. Authentication, condition, rarity, provenance and the importance of the game or athlete all matter.

What collectors should check before buying

For readers in the Mohawk Valley and across Upstate New York who collect sports memorabilia, a few basic steps can reduce risk:

• Buy from established dealers or auction houses with clear return policies.
• Look for third-party authentication from recognized specialists.
• Ask for provenance, including prior ownership records when available.
• Compare recent completed sales, not just asking prices.
• Be skeptical of items advertised as “game worn” without documentation.

The $12.26 million Michael Jordan jersey is an extreme example, but the principles behind its value apply to much less expensive collectibles too.

A piece of basketball history becomes a museum-level asset

Jordan’s impact extended well beyond the court. His championships, global popularity and partnership with Nike helped make basketball and sneaker culture more international. The 1998 Bulls became one of the most recognized teams in sports history, and “The Last Dance” documentary introduced that era to younger fans who never saw Jordan play live.

That helps explain why collectors continue to compete for objects connected to his career. This jersey is not just a uniform. It is tied to a specific night, a specific championship and the closing chapter of one of the NBA’s most successful dynasties.

Why this sale still matters nearly 30 years later

The record price shows that sports history can hold financial value long after the final whistle. For Bulls fans, the jersey represents the last championship season of the Jordan era. For collectors, it is a rare, authenticated piece linked to one of basketball’s most recognizable athletes.

For New York readers, the sale also offers a useful reminder that the biggest sports collectibles often sit at the intersection of history, documentation and cultural memory. Babe Ruth still owns the overall record, but Michael Jordan now holds the NBA jersey mark.

Whether you collect cards at a local show, save programs from Utica-area games or simply follow sports history, the lesson is the same: provenance matters. Before spending serious money on memorabilia, verify the story behind the item as carefully as the item itself.