In brief
Michael Jordan's Game 3 jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals sold on 29 September 2026 for $12.26 million, consisting of a $10 million bid and $2.26 million in buyer fees.
The sale exceeds the $10.091 million paid in 2022 for Jordan's red Game 1 jersey from the same 1998 Finals series.
Jordan scored 24 points in the 96-54 victory over the Utah Jazz on 7 June 1998, a 42-point differential that remains an NBA Finals record.
- 2022Jordan's red Game 1 jersey from the 1998 Finals sells for $10.091 million
- 15 SeptEntrepreneur Rob Gough lists the Game 3 jersey on Joopiter
- 29 SeptA single bid secures the Game 3 jersey for $12.26 million
Auction results and transaction details
A white Chicago Bulls jersey worn by Michael Jordan during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $12.26 million on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. The sale took place on Joopiter, an online auction platform founded by musician and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams, following its initial catalog listing on 15 September. The transaction concluded after a single opening bid without competing counter-offers, falling within the catalog estimate of $10 million to $15 million. The total price comprises a $10 million base hammer bid alongside $2.26 million in buyer premium fees. The figure surpasses the previous benchmark for basketball apparel, which belonged to Jordan's red Game 1 jersey from the same finals series, sold in 2022 for $10.091 million.
- Babe Ruth 1932 jersey
- 24.12 $M
- Jordan-Bryant signed card
- 12.9 $M
- Jordan 1998 Game 3 jersey
- 12.26 $M
- Jordan 1998 Game 1 jersey
- 10.091 $M
Data from the article text
Joopiter described the provenance and cultural standing of the uniform in its auction listing:
“Few objects in the history of sport embody greatness as completely as Michael Jordan's Game 3 jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals.”
The 1998 Finals and Game 3 record
Jordan wore the white number 23 jersey on 7 June 1998, when the Chicago Bulls hosted the Utah Jazz at the United Center. The Bulls won the contest 96-54, establishing a 42-point margin that remains the widest margin of victory in NBA Finals history. Jordan scored 24 points in that match to lead all scorers, giving Chicago a 2-1 advantage in the series. The Bulls later secured the championship 4-2 in Salt Lake City, where Jordan scored 45 points in Game 6 and made the decisive shot in the final seconds. That victory marked Jordan's sixth NBA championship, his sixth Finals MVP trophy, and the conclusion of his final season with Chicago, known as The Last Dance. The auctioned piece is the only white jersey from Jordan's 1998 Finals series to appear on the collector market.
Provenance and chain of custody
The documented ownership history shows that the jersey initially passed directly from Jordan to an unnamed personal associate. That individual kept the garment before selling it to a sports collectibles dealer operating in New Jersey. Around 2006, a private collector acquired the uniform from the dealer and retained it for more than a decade. The uniform subsequently entered the collection of entrepreneur Rob Gough, who chose to offer it through Joopiter in September 2026.
Market benchmarks for sports memorabilia
The $12.26 million result establishes a benchmark for basketball apparel but trails the overall record for game-worn sports clothing. That high mark belongs to Babe Ruth's 1932 World Series jersey from the New York Yankees, which sold at auction for $24.12 million in 2024. Other basketball items have also commanded valuations above $10 million across specialty auction houses. A trading card featuring signatures from both Jordan and Kobe Bryant sold for more than $12.9 million through Heritage Auctions in August 2025. Joopiter previously offered Bryant's Nike Kobe 6 Grinch sneakers from the 2010 Christmas fixture against LeBron James with a minimum price threshold of $10 million.