Michael Jordan uniform from 1992-1993 Bulls season up for auction
A rare piece of Chicago sports championship history is up for auction.
Any Bulls uniform worn by Michael Jordan is sure to be priceless to countless fans. But for the right price, it could, in fact, be yours.
The away-game uniform dates back to the 1992-1993 season — the third of six Bulls championship seasons during the 1990s.
In the 1992-1993 season, Jordan played in all 78 games — averaging 32.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 2.8 steals per game. He led the league in scoring for the seventh consecutive year, and averaged 35.1 points per game in the postseason.
The NBA legend wore the jersey and shorts for at least 17 games that season. The first was the Bulls' 101-96 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, Nov. 13, 1992, in which Jordan scored 34 points while wearing the jersey. The last was the Bulls' 97-95 loss to the Miami Heat on Thursday, March 11, 1993, when he wore both the jersey and shorts and scored 29.
Heritage Auctions
All this has been proved by photo matches.
The Bulls — led by Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, B.J. Armstrong, Bill Cartwright, and John Paxson — went on to beat the Phoenix Suns four games to two in the 1993 NBA Finals and win their third straight NBA Championship.
There is no mention of Jordan having worn the uniform up for auction during any playoff games that year.
Jordan was wearing the uniform up for auction in a photo that appeared on the cover of a very sad issue of Sports Illustrated that fall. The photo from the Oct. 18, 1993, edition of the magazine showed Jordan walking across the court during a game from the back, with the caption, "Why?"
Heritage Auctions/Sports Illustrated
This issue of the magazine came out 12 days after Jordan announced his retirement from the NBA — to the shock and profound disappointment of Bulls fans and the city of Chicago.
"I love the game of basketball. I always will. I just feel that, at this particular time in my career, I have reached the pinnacle of my career," the then-only-30-year-old Jordan said at a news conference that gloomy Wednesday. "I have achieved a lot in that short amount of time if you want to call it short. But I just feel that I don't have anything else for myself to prove."
Of course, this really turned out only to be a hiatus for Jordan. After a couple of seasons playing minor league baseball, Jordan returned to the Bulls in March 1995, and went on to lead the Bulls to three more NBA Championships before departing again after the 1998 season.
But when Jordan announced his retirement in the fall of '93, the widespread assumption was that he was gone for good. There does not seem to be any record of it online, but shortly after Jordan's announcement, one local radio station played a melancholy song to the tune of the Rolling Stones' "Ruby Tuesday" that went: "Goodbye, Michael Jordan. Who could play the game like you? When the Bulls don't make the playoffs, we're sure going to miss you."
As for that uniform up for auction, on Tuesday afternoon, the bid for it was at $662,500. But its estimated value is $2 million.
It is up for bid in the Heritage Auctions Spring Sports Catalog Auction.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Ross Chastain makes massive save after contact with Carson Hocevar
Should the Sixers draft for fit or star potential with the No.3 pick? John Clark and Danny Pommells discuss what they think the Sixers should do with the No. 3 pick in the NBA the Sixers draft for fit or star potential with the No.3 pick? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991 originally appeared on Basketball Network. Throughout his career, Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy was best known for his offensive prowess. However, that didn't mean that the North Carolina product was useless on defense. Advertisement "Big Game James" displayed that in the 1991 Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He was assigned to guard Chris Mullin, a move that proved successful. "I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense," the top pick of the 1982 Draft said via UPI. The Lakers made the defensive adjustments after "Mully" dropped a game-high 41 points in Game 2 of that series. Then-coach Mike Dunleavy took Magic Johnson off the Warriors star and replaced him with Worthy. Overlooking Worthy's defense At the time, Worthy was one of the Lakers' top offensive weapons. He was a great finisher in the fast break and had a decent mid-range shot. Best of all, he was not afraid to take clutch shots when needed. Advertisement Because of his athleticism, long arms, quickness and basketball IQ, the 6'9" Worthy did his share to help the Lakers on the defensive end. His size proved to be a problem for players like Mullin. The St. John's product admitted James gave him problems. "He gets in your stuff off the dribble and he's still big enough to get into your shot when you step back. He and Dennis (Rodman) are the two quickest guys in the league," the lefty sharpshooter quipped. With Worthy on him, Mullin's point production dwindled in the games that followed. After that 41-point explosion, the 6'7" forward managed to score only nine points in Game 4. Chris did unload 26 in Game 5, but the effort went for naught as the Lakers closed out the series 124-119. Related: "Shaq, I'm from the Balkans, you cannot haze me so hard, I've seen everything" - Goran Dragic recalls how he survived Shaquille O'Neal's rookie treatment Worthy's career turning point The Lakers would next face and defeat the Portland Trail Blazers (4-2) to set up a finals clash with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. LA drew first blood by taking Game 1, 93-91. Advertisement However, that win came at a price. Worth reinjured his left ankle and played through the pain the rest of the way. According to Dunleavy, "Big Game James'" injury was costly. The Lakers coach felt the Lakers had a good chance to win the title, especially with James' familiarity with Jordan. "The worst part was James Worthy getting injured," Dunleavy said. "We felt really good about our chances there. James played with Michael at North Carolina and was not intimidated by him at all. And he was our guy to defend him." Despite not being 100%, Worthy still led the Lakers in scoring with 19.3 points per game. But against Jordan (31.2 points per game) and Scottie Pippen (20.8 points per game), the effort went for naught. Advertisement Worthy's high ankle injury was only the beginning. In the latter part of the 1991-92 season, James underwent knee surgery, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. These injuries took a lot of the UNC product's quickness and leaping ability. He played the next two seasons but decided to call it a career in the 1994-95 preseason. It was quite a run for "Big Game James," who played a crucial role in three Lakers championships. His two-way impact made him invaluable — a big reason why the franchise retired his No. 42 jersey. On top of that, his stellar career earned him a spot on both the NBA's 50th and 75th-anniversary teams — honors that felt like the perfect nod to a player who always delivered when it mattered most. Related: "God, if you let me get through this, I won't play no more" - Larry Bird describes the moment that made him retire for good This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
"Bill Laimbeer came and gave Larry a chop" - Dennis Rodman on the brawl that started the Pistons-Celtics rivalry
"Bill Laimbeer came and gave Larry a chop" - Dennis Rodman on the brawl that started the Pistons-Celtics rivalry originally appeared on Basketball Network. During the '80s, every game between the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics was competitive and definitely physical. Though there were times when players lost it and ended up having some physical altercations, those hardcore battles weren't the reason the Pistons and the Celtics hated each other. Advertisement According to Pistons legend Dennis Rodman, he could already sense the animosity between his teammates and the C's early on in his time with Detroit. However, the historic rivalry officially began in the thrilling Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 1987. To this day, "The Worm" can still remember how it all started. After an unsurprisingly physical play between him and Celtics star forward Larry Bird, Pistons bruiser Bill Laimbeer hacked the living lights out of "Larry Legend." As expected, all hell broke loose, and the two teams have hated each other since then. "Oh, My God. Like I said, man, I was just so green behind the ears. I didn't know. I just wanted to go out there and play. But I think Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Rick Mahorn, Vinnie Johnson, all of those guys that were there before me, they hated them so much," Rodman told Basketball Time Machine when asked how the Pistons-Celtics rivalry started. "Now you can see the last years we played in the Silver Dom; you saw that brawl when I tried to block Larry Bird's shot. Bill Laimbeer came over and I fell backwards and Bill Laimbeer came and gave Larry a chop with a forearm. Then all of a sudden, the melee," he recalled. "That's when the rivalry started to really happen, right there and I said, 'Oh man, I'm in the league now; this is fun, this is fun.'" Dennis loved being a Bad Boy After the disgraceful incident during the '87 playoffs, both the Celtics and the Pistons eagerly anticipated their upcoming matchups. Whenever they stepped on the hardwood, the atmosphere was charged with animosity, and almost every player on both squads was driven not only to secure a win but also to inflict damage on their opponents. Advertisement Fully embracing the Pistons' notorious "Bad Boys" persona, Rodman recognized his pivotal role in these brutal encounters. His task was simple, exhilarating, and yet a bit challenging — to provoke and hurt the Celtics. However, "Dennis the Menace" had to perform these duties with a strategic mindset. He had to successfully irk and beat up the C's, but not in a very obvious way. "So, all of a sudden, the 'Bad Boys' started to stick with us," Rodman reflected. "In 1988, and it stuck with us until 1991. I loved it, man. I loved doing my thing. I loved kicking ass and just running basketball games, brother." "I became the quiet assassin with the 'Bad Boys,'" the two-time All-Star added. "I did my job. I did the dirty work. I loved the work. I loved the people and that just drove me to do bigger and better things for the Detroit Pistons. And I just joined the 'Bad Boys' because I loved it." Advertisement Related: "We started killing 'em and then he called off practice with them leading" - Barkley says the Dream Team's legendary loss was just Daly playing mind games Celtics out, Bulls in The underlying tension between the Pistons and the Celtics turned every game into a battle of strength and will, with each player fully committed to their cause. However, just before the '80s concluded, Detroit found a new nemesis on the court in the younger and charging Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. With the Celtics no longer in contention and almost out of the picture, the Pistons turned their attention to Jordan and the Bulls. During this period, the "Bad Boys" were not only older but also physically stronger than Chicago. With their notorious aggressive style of play and wild antics, Detroit often bullied the younger Bulls. While the Bulls may not have matched the toughness of the Celtics during that era, Rodman openly confessed that he also relished the challenge of facing them, particularly when it came to facing Jordan. Advertisement "All of a sudden, we have a difficult time now; Chicago started coming up… we have to get over them now. So, the Celtics, they're pretty much gone, then the Bulls started to come up, and it was a war every game," Rodman said. "I had to stop Scottie Pippen, Michael, those two guys were at us every game." "It was cool," the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year said of facing MJ. "Because he gave us the opportunity to work harder because we knew these guys was coming. But it's hard to keep that guy under 30 points; he was that good man." Rodman's controversial stories from the past only prove that NBA rivalries back in the day weren't just about winning and showcasing skills. For them, it was about pride, glory, and, most importantly, dominance. Related: "Dennis Rodman won two basketball games" - George Karl hinted that Dennis Rodman was the MVP of the 1996 NBA Finals This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
