How much money did former Jazz star Karl Malone make auctioning ‘Dream Team’ memorabilia?
The Hall of Famer and former Utah Jazz star had colorful career in the NBA and beyond. Now, he’s profiting off some of what he collected during that time.
Though he never managed to win a NBA championship, the former league MVP is widely regarded as one of the best players ever to play the game. Indeed, his inclusion on arguably the greatest basketball team ever assembled is testament to the fact.
Karl Malone makes a killing auctioning ‘Dream Team’ memorabilia
If you saw them play, then you know what it’s all about. The 1992 US Men’s Basketball Olympic team, universally referred to as the ‘Dream Team,’ was the most star-studded team we’ve ever had the privilege to watch play. That they won the gold medal at the Olympics in Barcelona is perhaps of less importance than the beauty of that moment in which we got to see the likes of Magic, Michael and Larry - to name a few - play on the same team. Indeed, another icon of the game who was part of the group was Karl Malone, the Utah Jazz legend, who is now back in the spotlight because of that very time.
According to recent reports, Malone just auctioned off game-worn memorabilia from those epic summer games in Catalunya and he made a whole lot of cash doing so. Among the rare items that he sold through Goldin in a Dream Team Auction, the one that fetched the highest price was understandably one associated with his “Airness” himself, Michael Jordan. Sold for an eye-opening price of $3.03 million, Malone parted with an autographed Michael Jordan jersey which carried a personalized message. “To Karl, good luck,” the message read.
What else did Karl Malone sell and how much did he make?
Though Jordan’s jersey was the star of the show, that’s not to say there weren’t other items on sale from players who were legends of the game as well. Among the other entries from Malone in the auction, there was also an autographed Larry Bird jersey, which sold for $360,000, as well as a pair of Bird’s sneakers which sold for $91,200. Incidentally, both sums set records for the most expensive game-worn jersey or sneakers worn by Bird to be sold at an auction. In all, Malone banked more than $5 million for the pieces that he let go of. Of course, when one has the opportunity to own such an illustrious piece of sporting history and more importantly, can afford it, then it kind of makes sense.