A jersey worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $14 million, according to an auction house, marking the highest price ever recorded for a piece of basketball memorabilia.
Hunt Auctions revealed that the jersey was purchased by Miami real estate investor Ron Firman in a private transaction. Jordan wore the red jersey during Game 2 of the 1998 finals, where he and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz, leveling the series at one game each. The Bulls ultimately won the series in six games, marking the sixth and final championship of Jordan's Hall of Fame career. The 1997-98 season gained renewed attention with the release of the Netflix documentary series "The Last Dance" in 2020.
David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, noted that while Michael Jordan's significance in the sports memorabilia market has long been recognized, it has now reached the status of an elite asset class, traditionally associated with iconic art. "We are very pleased to have facilitated this historic sale, which sets another benchmark for our industry," Hunt stated.
The $14 million price is the second-highest known for a game-worn jersey, behind a $24.12 million payment in 2024 for a Babe Ruth jersey associated with his famous "called shot" home run against the Chicago Cubs during the 1932 World Series.
This is the third instance of a Jordan jersey from the 1998 finals fetching at least $10 million. A Game 1 jersey sold at auction for approximately $10.1 million in 2022, and a Game 3 jersey fetched about $12.3 million in a recent auction.
Ron Firman expressed his excitement about the purchase, stating, "Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world."
The jersey originally entered a private collection in 2003 after being acquired from the Bulls. Hunt noted it has remained within a concise chain of custody, changing hands only once from the initial buyer.
Jordan's final season with the Bulls has garnered significant interest from collectors. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers worn in Game 2 against the Jazz sold for $2.2 million through Sotheby’s, setting a record at the time as "the most valuable sneakers ever sold."
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