Sotheby's Auctions Michael Jordan's 'The Last Dance' NBA Finals Jersey

The ESPN and Netflix documentary 'The Last Dance' continues to attract collector interest and is the subject of a Sotheby's auction.

The art and luxury house is auctioning Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey from his final season with the Chicago Bulls, which was featured prominently in the documentary.

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The jersey could cost between $3 million and $5 million, according to Sotheby's, making it the highest auction price for a Michael Jordan jersey. It will be offered for sale in a single lot September 6-14 and will be on public display August 17-20 in Monterey, California, and September 6-12 at Sotheby's New York. , when selling.

"The 1997-98 season is perhaps one of the most popular among Jordan fans, as Michael reached the peak of his abilities while simultaneously pursuing what he believed to be his last chance to win a championship. NBA with the Chicago Bulls," said Brahm Wachter, head of streetwear and modern collectibles at Sotheby's. "The season itself is his 'magnum opus' as an athlete, and a testament to him as a champion and competitor. Jordan finals shirts are remarkably rare, and the 1997-98 finals are arguably the most coveted of all."

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Michael Jordan's 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey from Sports Illustrated. Courtesy photo

The 1998 NBA Finals was one of the most watched NBA Finals of all time, and Game 6 of the series, Jordan's final game against the Chicago Bulls, still holds the highest rated and most watched NBA record. All time finals game.

But in the first game, things looked different for the team in their "Last Dance", a term coined by then-coach Phil Jackson. The team arrived in Utah to face the Utah Jazz in front of a raucous crowd and would lose in overtime despite Jordan scoring 33 points in 45 minutes of play. The streak was featured extensively in the documentary and captured a rare moment of Jordan on the team bus listening to Kenny Lattimore's latest album before its release.

The 1998 NBA Finals Game 1 jersey is one of two Jordan NBA Finals jerseys to be auctioned. Most of the jerseys are privately owned, but one has resided in the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture since 2016, which Jordan donated.

Ahead of this auction, Sotheby's auctioned off the jersey worn by Diego Maradona during the 1986 World Cup, which fetched $9.3 million, a world auction record for the most precious never sold and for all sports memorabilia.