by Cedric ‘BIG CED’ Thornton
March 28, 2025
The jersey was worn in a 1984 preseason game in Jordan’s first year in the NBA.
A basketball jersey worn by Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan in his rookie season sold for over $4 million.
NBA.com reported that in an auction that ended March 26 at Sotheby’s, a road Chicago Bulls jersey that was worn in a 1984 preseason game, sold for $4.215 million. The jersey was also signed by the basketball legend. The name of the seller was not revealed.
BREAKING: Michael Jordan’s pro debut jersey sells for $4.21 million at @Sothebys.
It sold in 1985 for just $800. https://t.co/wqoi3i2heK
– Darren Rovell (@darrenroovell) March 26, 2025
The auction house billed the item as the only game-worn photo-matched Jordan rookie jersey to be seen publicly at an auction. Another auction house, MeiGray, revealed that it may be the very first jersey that Jordan wore in his first season in the league. MeiGray stated that its findings, worked on with forensic analysis firm Proven Data, were based on video footage from Jordan’s first game in the NBA. That took place Oct. 5, 1984, in Peoria, Illinois.
Through its research, MeiGray photo-matched the jersey to Jordan’s fourth NBA game, which occurred Oct. 13, 1984. Sports Investors Authenticated photo-matched the jersey to a game that took place Oct. 7, 1984, his second NBA game.
In the auction listing, Sotheby’s stated its authenticity when it said it appeared that several other players had previously worn the jersey before it was given to Jordan. Dark stains appear under the name “Jordan” and under the number 23 on the uniform it appears that multiple players’ names and numbers had been there before.
Jordan did not wear the jersey much longer as he switched jerseys when the regular season started that year, and he wore the other jersey for the rest of the 1984-85 season.
ESPN reported that it wasn’t the most paid for a Jordan jersey, but it was the fifth-most-expensive NBA jersey bought at an auction.
RELATED CONTENT: Michael Jordan’s Love Letter To His High School Sweetheart Valued At Over $12K At Auction
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings