(Basketball news) Michael Jordan’s iconic ‘Last Dance’ jersey, worn during the opening game of the 1998 NBA finals has been sold for a record $10.1m (£8.8m). No piece of sports memorabilia worn during play has been sold for a higher price than this jersey with auction house Sotheby’s claiming that it created “palpable excitement” from potential buyers. A factor that may have played a role in the price of the jersey is the Netflix documentary ‘The Last Dance’ in which Jordan is seen wearing this iconic jersey when he won his sixth and final NBA title.

A total of 20 bids were made for Jordan's Chicago Bulls jersey with Sotheby’s Brahm Wachter saying that bidders were "eager to own a rarefied piece of history. Today's record-breaking result… solidifies Michael Jordan as the undisputed G.O.A.T, proving his name and incomparable legacy is just as relevant as it was nearly 25 years ago.” The previous record for the highest price for match worn memorabilia was $9.28m for Diego Maradona’s Argentina jersey from the 1986 World Cup. Jordan’s 1998 Chicago jersey was sold with a June 1998 Sports Illustrated magazine, featuring Jordan on the cover.

Widely recognized as one of the greatest basketball players in history, Michael Jordan is without a doubt the most iconic athlete in his field, having spent the majority of his career at Chicago Bulls. In the 1998 NBA finals, the Bulls were defeated in the opening game by Utah Jazz but went on to win their next three games after which Utah Jazz won a game by two points. In the sixth game, Jordan put the Bulls up 87-86 with just 5.2 seconds left to secure his final NBA title of his career. He finally hung up his boots in 2003, winning seven championships, three of which were consecutive and cemented his place as one of the all time basketball greats in history.

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