NBA great Michael Jordan’s Last Dance jersey fetches Rs 80cr

Michael Jordan

A jersey worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals, his last title victory, sold for a record $10.1 million (approx R80.31cr) on Thursday, Sotheby's said.

The iconic red Chicago Bulls jersey, with Jordan's number 23 on the back, went for the highest amount of any game-worn sports memorabilia ever, the auction house said, and set a new record for a basketball jersey at auction.

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The final sum was twice Sotheby's high estimate, and the jersey drew a total of 20 bids. The Jordan swag beat a record set in May for the most expensive sports memorabilia ever sold, which had been Diego Maradona's "Hand of God" jersey.

Jordan, now 59, spent the bulk of his basketball career with the Bulls, with whom he won all six of his titles, but came out of retirement in 2001 to play two seasons with the Washington Wizards. His final season with the Bulls was detailed in the hit Netflix documentary, The Last Dance released in 2020.

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