Place your bids on the basket from Michael Jordan’s ’98 winner vs. Jazz
Are you a Michael Jordan fan with tens of thousands of dollars in disposal income? Do you need a basketball hoop for your private indoor court and/or backyard? Are you willing to tell anyone who will listen why your basket is special and not like the others? Then we have the auction item for you!
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Heritage Auctions is currently auctioning off the basket, backboard, and stanchion used at the east end of EnergySolutions Arena (then the Delta Center) during Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. If that information doesn’t ring a bell, then perhaps this shot will do the trick:
Yes, this is the basket on which Michael Jordan converted the game-winner to lift the Chicago Bulls over the Utah Jazz for their sixth championship. It was also the final shot of Jordan’s with the Bulls and would have been the final shot of his career if not for his return to the Washington Wizards in 2001.
The official listing for the item features much more information (via Kevin Wildes):
Along with a sixth NBA Championship ring, Michael Jordan claimed his sixth NBA Finals MVP Award. The 1998 Finals remains the most-watched broadcast in history, with that Game Six the highest-rated NBA game ever televised.
That would arguably make the presented example the most recognizable basket and backboard in the sport, the very one that swallowed Jordan’s final shot as a Chicago Bull to stamp the last exclamation point on his peerless career. Though the iconic athlete would once again emerge from the retirement he announced in January 2000 for a last tour of duty with the Washington Wizards, the story of the greatest basketball player of all time effectively ends here, in the glass and metal of this special artifact.
The historic backboard measures approximately sixty-eight inches wide by thirty-eight inches high. The glass is about a half-inch thick, with rubber padding at the lower edges, and the logo of the NBA at lower left. The original rim and net remain in place, and the backboard comes complete with the original Delta Center stanchion labeled “East Hoop.” It’s everything you need to recreate the magic in your own home, and to secure ultimate bragging rights in the highly-competitive world of Michael Jordan collectibles. Third party shipping required.
Yes, the lucky buyer will hold responsibility for shipping and connecting the backboard to the stanchion, but these are small prices to pay for the joy of owning one of the most well known baskets in NBA history. I mean, sure, you’ll have to tell people that’s what it is and possibly even create a sign proclaiming as much for personal ease, because who can identify a backboard by sight, but I’m sure everyone would be impressed once the information gets out.
The auction will be held on July 30 and 31, although the process is currently in a proxy bid stage during which Heritage accepts phone, internet, and mail offers. With the price now at $26,000 it would not be shocking to see the item go for at least $30,000. Whoever ends up with it will most likely try to mimic Jordan’s stepback (and push-off) move, although it’s not clear who would want to play the part of Bryon Russell. Of course, given the money at play, the eventual buyer can probably afford to hire Russell himself for a few hours.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
