Michael Jordan's college jersey fetches $1.38 million at auction

Game-worn jersey from 1982-83 season at North Carolina attracts record bid

North Carolina's Michael Jordan (23) drives around Clemson's Marc Campbell during first round ACC Tournament action at the Omni in Atlanta, Ga., Friday, March 11, 1983.  (AP Photo)
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A Michael Jordan game-worn jersey from his 1982-83 season at the University of North Carolina has sold for $1.38 million at auction, Heritage Auctions has revealed.

"We're extremely proud to have shattered records for a Jordan game-worn jersey," Chris Ivy, Heritage's director of sports auctions, said in a statement.

Adding to the value of the blue and white No23 Tar Heels jersey is the fact that it's the kit Jordan was wearing on the cover of the March 1983 Sporting News, which declared Jordan the NCAA player of the year.

The season was Jordan's second at UNC, and the season after a freshman Jordan helped take the Tar Heels to the 1982 national championship over a Georgetown team that featured Patrick Ewing.

North Carolina Tar Heels' Michael Jordan - March 28, 1983. Player of the Year - North Carolina's Michael Jordan (Photo by Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images)
Michael Jordan was Player of the Year in 1983 for North Carolina. Getty

The same jersey had brought $63,500 when it was auctioned in 1999, and Heritage had expected it to go four about $1 million in its Spring Sports Catalog Auction.

The previous high for a Jordan jersey was set in October when a Chicago uniform worn by the NBA icon – who won six championships with the Bulls – sold for $480,000.

That jersey and shorts kit was from the 1986-87 NBA season when Jordan was the league's leading scorer but the Bulls were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.