The sale of the iconic red Bulls uniformwith the number 23 and Jordan’s name on the back, surpassed that of any sports piece worn in a game, the New York auction house said.
The sale exceeds the almost 9.3 million dollars offered in May for the shirt of Argentine star Diego Armando Maradona that he wore on the day of his two legendary goals against England in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.
In the case of Jordan’s uniform, which received a total of 20 bids, the final sum doubled the highest estimate Sotheby’s had made.
The previous record for a basketball jersey was held by an autographed Kobe Bryant jersey he wore with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996-97 season that sold for $3.7 million, according to Sotheby’s.
Jordan’s jersey, now 59 years old, it is only the second used by the star during his games for the six championships with the Bulls, conquered between 1991 and 1993 and between 1996 and 1998, which is being sold at auction. It is also the most expensive Jordan sports memorabilia ever auctioned. The previous record was held by an autographed card from the 1997-98 season sold for $2.7 million.
Most of Jordan’s NBA Finals jerseys remain in private hands, according to Sotheby’s. One of them was donated by the player to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
The jersey was first publicly displayed in Monterey (California) before being shipped to New York, where fans were able to see it during the online auction.
The New York auction house, owned since 2019 by French-Israeli telecommunications tycoon Patrick Drahi, had previously auctioned off a pair of Jordan sneakers for nearly $1.5 million.
The retired basketball star currently owns the Charlotte Hornets, a North Carolina state franchise where Jordan grew up, and, among other businesses, earns millions of dollars annually from the rights to Nike’s Air Jordan shoe brand.