1981-1984 Michael Jordan Practice Worn UNC Tarheels Jersey....

Description

1981-1984 Michael Jordan Practice Worn UNC Tarheels Jersey.

UPDATE: The accompanying shorts referenced in the printed catalog text are not part of this lot.

After his days at Laney High School but before his call to Olympic and NBA stardom, Michael Jordan was a North Carolina Tar Heel. A national powerhouse and perennial contender, UNC Basketball was able to recruit the country's top high school talent. As such, many thought Michael might come to Chapel Hill, sit on the bench for four years, and then work at a local gas station. But Jordan would write a much different story for himself through hard work, dedication to his craft, and a competitive spirit which bordered on maniacal.

It was during his three years as a collegian that Michael's incredible acrobatics and ability to excel under pressure were first revealed to us. Who can forget the steal and dunk against Virginia or the unbelievable cuff-dunk versus Maryland, when he took off a mile from the basket. And, of course, there was his jump shot against Georgetown in the closing minutes of the NCAA Final that won the National Championship for North Carolina.

But it wasn't all smooth sailing for Michael. Early on, Jordan got a lot of undeserved travelling calls because the refs thought that no one could possibly get past a defender that quickly without travelling. That was until Coach Smith sent a tape of Jordan's first steps to the NCAA and the refs started to see the light. (It is also interesting to note that Jordan used this precedent to get away with no-calls on plays when he actually did travel. And he continued this practice in the NBA as well.)

Some of Michael Jordan's greatest efforts as a collegian came during the Tar Heel's famous full-on practice sessions at Chapel Hill, where Michael and his teammates' competitive nature made for some memorable battles. Jordan also took exceptional joy in reminding his teammates of his victorious exploits against them. On many occasions, he would fly by a teammate, "posterize" him, and then remind him about it all night long.

On offer here is Michael Jordan's practice worn jersey from his 1981-84 tenure as a University of North Carolina Tar Heels. The "Chapel Hill Blue" side of this reversible mesh jersey displays white, screened on letters and numbers with "UNC arched on the front and "Basketball" on a straight line below. The verso has "Jordan" beautifully arched in a smaller font compared with the large "23" below. The white side has a blank front and "23" screened on the back in blue. There are two significant flap tags inside, "Champion...Large" and "4" Extra Length." The jersey exhibits great practice wear.

A fantastically rare and unique piece belonging to the best there ever was. Letter of provenance from former UNC student manager. LOA from Heritage Auctions.


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