Michael Jordan 1998 NBA Finals Jersey Heads to Auction

Sports investor Rob Gough and auction platform JOOPITER announced that Michael Jordan's game-worn jersey from Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals will go up for public auction on September 15, 2026, with estimates projecting it could fetch between $10 million and $100 million.

Bidding for the historic Chicago Bulls uniform begins online at 10:00 AM EDT through JOOPITER, the digital auction marketplace established by Pharrell Williams. The white home jersey represents the only publicly known game-winning uniform from Jordan's final championship run with Chicago to surface on the public market.

Jordan wore the uniform on June 7, 1998, at the United Center in Chicago against the Utah Jazz. During 43 minutes of play, Jordan recorded 24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block to secure a 96-54 win. The 42-point margin stands as the largest blowout in NBA Finals history and held Utah to the lowest point total ever recorded in a Finals game.

Authenticity for the piece is confirmed through a MeiGray photomatching certificate along with an official letter of provenance signed by Bill Thoma. The uniform features an official 1998 NBA Finals patch embroidered on the left chest.

Gough, who acquired the jersey four years ago through an intermediary under a non-disclosure agreement, publicly predicted the piece will set a historic record for sports memorabilia.

"I think this will be the first jersey to hit $100 million," said Gough, owner of the jersey.

Gough stated that his search for the collectible stemmed from a desire to acquire items at the intersection of elite athleticism and historic moments, leading him through a long series of contacts.

"It's not like I knew where it was or it was easy to find … this person led to this person, which led to the other person," said Gough.

He noted that he never established direct contact with the previous owner during the purchase.

"Unfortunately I never got to the actual owner of the jersey, I got to a middle man who probably made millions of dollars [off the sale]," said Gough.

After displaying the item in his Puerto Rico residence for two years, Gough transferred the jersey to a secure vault before deciding to bring it to market through JOOPITER.

"It's interesting, because I have a lot of great art. And when people come to the house, they skip right over the art and go right to the jersey," said Gough.

He explained that visitor reactions shaped his perspective on the historical value of sports collectibles.

"That's when I realized that this stuff is the new modern art," said Gough.

Gough reflected on the responsibilities of holding rare artifacts when deciding to put the item up for sale.

"You're a steward of these iconic pieces of history. When I had it in the house, it was tremendous. But when it was in the vault … what's the point of being a steward of something if you're not gonna let people see it and enjoy it?" said Gough.

The current record for a game-worn basketball jersey belongs to Jordan's Game 1 jersey from the same 1998 Finals, which sold for $10.1 million at Sotheby's in 2022. Gough contrasted the historical context of the two game uniforms.

"He lost Game 1 … I don't personally buy games where a guy loses because you're saying, 'That jersey on the wall, remember when Michael Jordan lost that game?' You just don't say that," said Gough.

Gough, who recently acquired the World Jai Alai League, previously set a sports card record by buying a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card for $5.2 million in 2021.

"No one knows that I actually sold [the card] for eight figures," said Gough.

He anticipated that the upcoming auction would mark another major financial transaction in his portfolio.

"So this [jersey sale] would be the second at-least-eight-figure transaction," said Gough.

When asked if Jordan was aware of the upcoming auction, Gough expressed uncertainty.

"Oh man, I have no idea. I wish I had the guy on speed dial," said Gough.

Representatives from the auction platform emphasized the broader historic impact of Jordan's final championship season with the Bulls organization.

"'The Last Dance' represents really one of the defining chapters in the history of all sports, not just basketball," said Caitlin Donovan, JOOPITER's global head of sales.

Donovan noted that the season encapsulated the end of an era for the franchise.

"It’s really more than just the conclusion of (Jordan’s) career with the Bulls, it really marked the culmination of one of the greatest dynasties that I feel was ever assembled," said Donovan.

Bidding for the artifact remains scheduled to open globally on September 15, 2026.