(LOT 2141)
UnbelievaBULL1997/98 Chicago Bulls Team-Signed World Championship Streetlight Banner (19 Signatures) Beckett/Steve Grad LOA
The 1997-98 Chicago Bulls were, for a second time, two-time reigning World Champions intent on winning a third title for their second "3-Peat" in the 1990s. Prior to Chicago's 1991-93 championship trilogy, only the Minneapolis Lakers and Boston Celtics had captured three consecutive NBA titles. Led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, the Bulls dispatched the Karl Malone and John Stockton-led Utah Jazz in six games in the 1997 NBA Finals. But the 1997-98 season would prove to be a more challenging season with the loss of Pippen for 38 games due to injury. Jordan and Chicago would overcome in 1997-98 winning the Central by four games over the Indiana Pacers and claim the East once again with series wins over New Jersey, Charlotte and Indiana in a 7-game war. The Bulls then faced the Utah Jazz again in the NBA Finals in a hard-fought six-game battle with a similar outcome. With only seconds left on the clock, MJ's sneaky crossover jump shot over Byron Russell iced the game and the series for Chicago's sixth NBA Championship in eight years. That would be Michael Jordan's final shot as a Chicago Bull! The Bulls dismantled completely following this championship run. Jordan retired for a second time, coach Phil Jackson resigned, Pippen and Longley were traded and Rodman, Kerr, Burrell and Buechler left to free agency.

This was Chicago's last hurrah or "dance", as it was documented in the highly successful The Last Dance Netflix miniseries in 2020. Offered is a 1997-98 NBA Championship streetlight banner that hung from one of the many light poles in downtown Chicago following their title run. Though a few similar street banners have come to auction in recent years, to our knowledge, this is the one and only team-signed example in existence. This virtually flawless 97" x 30" double-sided canvas banner (3" pole pockets) features half of the Bull logo, a "6" in black at center and "NBA WORLD CHAMPIONS 1997-98 Chicago Bulls – City of Chicago – Richard M. Daley, Mayor" printed in white against a red background at the bottom. Along the upper red portion of the banner are 19 signatures of players, coaches and broadcasters including: Johnny "Red" Kerr (broadcaster), Rusty LaRue, Scott Burrell, Keith Booth, Toni Kukoc, Dickey Simpson, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley, Bill Wennington (2), Joe Kleine, Jud Buechler, Phil Jackson (2), Ron Harper, Randy Brown, Scottie Pippen (left of the eye), Dennis Rodman (across the nose) and Michael Jordan (right of the furrowed brow). All signatures present 10 strength in bold black permanent marker. The black reverse displays "90-91 91-92 92-93 95-96 96-97" in red with "incredibull unbelievabull unbeatabull unstoppabull & undeniabull" printed in white beneath each respective date. The Bulls logo is centered with "97-98 – unforgettabull" and "Chicago Bulls – NBA World Champions – City of Chicago – Richard M. Daley, Mayor". This one-of-a-kind streetlight banner signed by one of the greatest teams in history would significantly enhance any Chicago Bulls or NBA collection! LOA from Beckett/Steve Grad. 


MIN BID $1,000
_