Jordan’s legendary jacket goes under the hammer

The iconic jacket worn by legendary basketball player Michael Jordan during the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, where he led the American “Dream Team” to a gold medal, will be put up for auction in June. The memorabilia is being sold by Brian McIntyre, who worked with the USA team during the Olympics.

Experts estimate that the jacket, signed by Jordan, could fetch anywhere between one to three million dollars at auction. McIntyre was the sole owner of the memorabilia after Jordan gifted it to him in Barcelona under unusual circumstances, as reported by olympics.nbcsports.com.

There is an interesting story behind the jacket. The uniforms for the “Dream Team” were produced by Reebok, but Jordan had been associated with Nike for a long time. However, the United States Olympic Committee announced that during the medal ceremony, all basketball players had to wear the official Olympic uniform. Jordan wore it but draped the American flag over his shoulder, covering the manufacturer’s logo.

Michael Jordan's Dream Team jacket from 1992 Olympics is up for sale https://t.co/NeRMH7QcFy pic.twitter.com/01C7cRVVa1

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) May 12, 2023

Immediately after the ceremony, he took off the jacket and tossed it aside, but he later gave it to McIntyre, who worked in NBA communications and was connected to the "Dream Team" during the Barcelona Olympics. McIntyre asked Jordan right after the medal ceremony if he wanted the commemorative item, to which Jordan replied, “No, I definitely don’t want it.”

When the famous basketball player bid farewell to the NBA courts for the first time in 1994 and embarked on a baseball career, McIntyre was invited to a party organized by the leader of the Chicago Bulls. He came wearing Jordan’s Olympic jacket, intending to give it back to him. Jordan simply looked at it and signed it, saying, “Brian, thanks for everything, Michael Jordan.”

Jordan, a six-time NBA champion and currently a co-owner of the Charlotte Hornets, is one of the greatest players in history and an icon of the league, as well as one of the most recognizable athletes in the world.

His popularity, which also translates into the price of memorabilia and jerseys, has soared in recent years. Since the release of the documentary “Last Dance” in spring 2020, jerseys, shoes, and other Jordan-related merchandise have been setting record-breaking sales prices at auctions.

In September 2022, Jordan’s jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz (4-2) sold for USD 10.1 million, and shoes from his rookie season (1984) with his autograph were purchased for USD 1.47 million in autumn 2021.