The Original Photo That Immortalized Michael Jordan’s Iconic Dunk is Up for Auction

A signed original 1988 photograph of Michael Jordan’s legendary dunk that turned him into a global icon — is up for auction.

On February 6, 1988, Chicago Bulls team photographer Bill Smith captured a 24-year-old Jordan’s iconic free-throw line slam dunk during the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at Chicago Stadium.

In the image, Smith captured Jordan soaring four feet above the court, launching himself from the free-throw line and frozen mid-flight. Wearing his Air Jordan 3s — which featuring the now-famous Jumpman logo — the basketball legend appears almost rocket-propelled, palming the ball in one hand and pumping his other arm as he rises towards the basket.

Smith’s photograph is now considered one of the most iconic sports photographs in history. Along with Sports Illustrated photographer Walter Iooss Jr.’s view of Jordan from beneath the basket, Smith’s image immortalized Jordan’s free-throw-line dunk and propel the NBA to new heights of popularity.

Now a Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) certified Type 1 Original Photo of the famous image, signed by Jordan himself, is now up for sale as the headline lot in Goldin’s Fall Photography Auction. The image is only one of three PSA-Certified Type I Photos that exist.

“Michael Jordan was the most photographed athlete of the century… and it’s not even close. Of those tens of thousands of images captured, there is no singular image that defines the ‘Air’ in Air Jordan better than Bill Smith’s masterpiece,” PSA/DNA’s principal authenticator Henry Yee writes about the photograph. “His jaw-dropping worm’s-eye view from court level of a soaring Jordan in midflight provides the perspective of how a man can actually defy gravity and the laws of physics as we know it.”

Goldin’s Fall Photography Auction, which runs through November 4, showcases iconic images of sports legends and historic moments and milestones. A September 29, 1996 Type 1 Photo of 18-year-old NBA rookie Kobe Bryant in his Los Angeles Lakers uniform is also up for sale at the auction.

‘I had Only One Chance to Get The Shot’

In an interview with the Chicago Bulls in 2020, Smith says he carefully positioned himself to capture Jordan’s free-throw-line dunk, knowing he would have only one chance to get the shot because of his camera’s slow flash system.

“I had seen Michael in practice and knew he was going to try the free-throw-line dunk,” Smith explained. “But I didn’t know when. I put a lot of calculation into where I positioned myself. I wanted to show the divide between the basket and the free throw line, the whole expanse under him, so I held a spot on the sideline between the basket and the line, a little closer to the basket.”

He adds: “I had a Canon camera with a regular 50mm lens, nothing exotic. I was using strobe lights, mounted up in the catwalks, and when you shoot with strobes the camera takes a second or two to recycle. The flashes don’t go that fast. I had only one chance to get the shot”

After developing the film overnight, Smith was nervous to see whether the photograph had captured the moment as he had witnessed it.

“I dropped off my film at a 24-hour lab in a parking lot on Adams Street. I came back when they opened at 8am,” Smith says. “You pick up the film, and the labs have these light tables so you can flip through your slides and look at them. I tore through everything until I got to the dunk contest. My hand was shaking. I was scared to look at the frame. So many things can go wrong. His eyes could be closed. His hand could be blocking the ball. But it captured exactly what you saw.”

More information about Goldin’s Fall Photography auction can be found here.