The sale

A Chicago Bulls jersey that Michael Jordan wore during Game 2 of the 1998 NBA Finals has sold for $14 million, the highest price ever paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia, according to Hunt Auctions. The auction house announced the sale on Monday, 12 October. The game-worn jersey carries Jordan's autograph and was bought by Ron Firman, a real estate investor from Miami, in a private sale rather than a public auction. Hunt Auctions said the jersey ranks as the second-largest sale in history among game-worn sports jerseys. Only a New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series sold for more, at $24.12 million in 2024.

Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world. I'm very excited about the purchase.

— Ron Firman

Firman made the comments in a news release distributed by the auction house.

The game behind the jersey

Game 2 was played on 5 June 1998 in Salt Lake City against the Utah Jazz, after Chicago had lost the opening game of the series. Jordan scored 37 points, grabbed five rebounds and recorded three assists as the Bulls won 93-88 to even the series 1-1. Chicago went on to win the series 4-2, the sixth and final championship of Jordan's career. Jordan collected his sixth and final Finals MVP award nine days after Game 2. The 1997-98 season is the focus of the 2020 documentary "The Last Dance", which renewed interest in the team.

This remarkable garment bore witness to one of Jordan's most hallowed NBA Finals appearances as part of his 'Last Dance' season to complete his illustrious career.

— David Hunt

David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions, made the statement announcing the sale.

Where the record stands

The previous record for basketball memorabilia was $12.26 million, paid for the jersey Jordan wore in Game 3 of the same Finals, which was auctioned in September. A Game 1 jersey from the series sold for about $10.1 million in 2022. The chart below compares these sales with the Babe Ruth jersey that still holds the overall sports record.

Prices paid for game-worn jerseys (million USD)
Babe Ruth, 1932 World Series Game 3 (2024)24.12Jordan, 1998 Finals Game 2 (October 2026)14Jordan, 1998 Finals Game 3 (September 2026)12.26Jordan, 1998 Finals Game 1 (2022)10.1

Hunt described the market for Jordan items in the statement announcing the sale.

While Michael Jordan's importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established, it has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art.

— David Hunt

The sale is the third time a Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals has fetched at least $10 million, according to the auction house's figures reported by Al Jazeera.